To celebrate Mother’s Day this year I am reprinting, with permission, one of my mother’s favourite speeches that won her first place in 1979 at an International Toastmistress Competition. She said she loved writing it … and I continually love reading about the family journey.

Celebrate

Do you ever dream about new things coming into your life? Reasons to celebrate? In my married life, I have dreamed of many new “additions”, and I have celebrated and welcomed each one with great joy.

The first was a bit fearful because of the unknown. We were novices and were going in cold. The day arrived. Thursday March 29th, 1956, 5am…

“John – it’s time!”

And off we rushed to the Victoria. “Admitting” was slow because, naturally, it was the first. “Preparation”, well they took all the time in the world. Eventually, we were left alone to patiently time and wait for contractions to come more quickly. It seemed like days when they finally wheeled me into “The Room”. At 5:50pm only 12 hours and 50 minutes later, our first little girl arrived – Carol. What a time to celebrate!

With the second addition, and a bit of experience, we knew what to expect, and therefore decided to have Natural Childbirth. We both went to VON classes for 6 weeks, and I practiced Deep Breathing. This was going to be a cinch. Thursday, July 4th, 1957, 2am…

“John – its time!”

Well, number one had been slow, we casually drove to the Victoria. But in “Admitting”, they knew better. They quickly sat me in a wheel chair and rushed me to Maternity. Meanwhile, reverently with each contraction, I took Deep Breaths ~~ but somehow ~~ I was taking ~~ so many ~~ there just wasn’t relief!  “The Room”, 4am, just 2 hours and our Jane arrived.

By now, we were experts. This third would be easy. Wednesday, June 11th, 1958, 1am…

“John – its time!”

And off we rushed to the Victoria because number two was so fast. “Admitting” was fast. “Preparation” was fast. Suddenly – no contractions! Walk the floor. Contraction. Deep Breathing. Frustration. It seemed like months until 5pm, Dr. Rose announces that they will have to induce the baby. “The Room”, 6:30pm, and finally 17 1/2 hours later, our Natasha was born.

Look out number four, here come the Professionals! Long or short, we knew what to expect. Finally, June 26th, 1959, at 7am…

“John – it’s time!”

We roared to the Victoria. Plowed through “Admitting”, after all we were Professionals. Just enough Deep Breathing to relax, then off to “The Room”. At 9:12am, just 2 hours 12 minutes on the dot, Valarie arrived.

By Friday, February 23rd, 1962, we were Superstars.

“John – it’s time!”

The Victoria.  “Admitting” and “Preparation” went by in a flash. But then came the monotonous Deep Breathing and at that point an illumination occurred.

“Sing Mary! Singing is so much better than Deep Breathing. More relaxing.”

But what would I sing? Out it came, loud and clear.

“Oh the old grey mare she ain’t what she used to be.”

Why that song? I don’t know. Certainly not Opera, but it felt better! John sheepishly tried to hide, and was glad when the time came to go to “The Room”. He slipped down the corridor, the opposite direction to the waiting room.

Meanwhile, “Oh the old grey mare…”

There on that delivery table, 6 pairs of eyes were gazing down upon me. “Do something! Don’t just stand there”. I am sure that they were laughing behind those surgical masks. The Doctor hadn’t arrived, but…

“Oh the old grey mare she ain’t what … “

By golly I am going to have this baby. Five minutes later, 11:53pm, 7 pairs of eyes looked upon me, and Ann Marie arrived.

Enough for Natural Childbirth. Modern medicine will relieve all the pain with an Epidural. September 1967, they injected this into my spine and when the time came to go to “The Room”, they placed me on the stretcher like a piece of blubber. No feelings. No emotions. Just cold. Eventually, you guessed it, I had a boy.

That day. John greeted me with a box of seven red roses – one from him and one from each of my children. But somehow when I opened the box, there were only six. Was this a sign? A warning? That day was long. For some reason they did not bring my son to nurse. Twenty two hours later, our celebration turned into a Wake.

On Tuesday, September 2nd, 1969, at 6:30am…

“John it’s time!”

This time, there was just one Doctor, one Nurse, and myself. This time, I did have Natural Childbirth. This time, there were contractions, Deep Breathing – the works. And, within, one hour, at 7:30am, we celebrated the arrival of Andrea.

For me, there will be no more additions through the Victoria. My days of “Admitting”  and “The Room” are done, but I am looking forward to a different kind of celebration now.

I have six daughters.  Surely there will be at least one or two grandchildren to celebrate! And after all, you know I am an expert!

Written by my mother, Mary Koziol, who continues to be a force of nature and now into her eighties enjoys ten grandchildren.

Thank you Mom (and Dad) for bringing me (and my sisters) into the world.