The Book Of Me, Written By You - Week 2 - Your Birth

The Book Of Me, Written By You is a 15 month project set up by Julie Goucher at Anglers Rest.

Each week there are prompts which require answering.

Week 2 - Your Birth

Me in the hospital

I was amazed at how challenging writing about my birth was, because I was there but don't remember any of it (which is probably a good thing!).

I had to search out my baby album for more information and also found a calendar of my first year in which my mum had recorded all my firsts in it.

I was born in Edith Watson Maternity Unit at Burnley General Hospital, Lancashire and as far as I am aware both my mum (obviously) and my dad were present. I was their first baby, my younger brother followed a few years later.

I was born at around 6pm on a Saturday in December, which was not the most convenient time as it meant my dad missed the football results and my mum missed her evening meal, but of course they were delighted I had arrived on schedule. I weighed 7lbs 7oz and was 57cm long. I had a lot of fair hair, which is still the case now and beautiful blue eyes. Apparently I looked most like my mum but my personality was more like my dad's, for I was inquisitive and could not keep still for a minute.

Learning to play the piano at a young age

I was a very smiley baby and was inspired by music from a young age, as I loved my parents singing to me, as well as tinkering on their piano (see photo). I loved being around people and did not like being left alone. My mum and dad were quite glad when at 5 weeks old I first slept through the night.

I met my extended family in stages through the first few months of my life, the first being my paternal grandparents and youngest uncle at a week old and then my maternal grandparents came to stay for a few days when I was 10 days old, which also coincided with my first outing to the park.

My parents were attending at Baptist church at the time of my birth and my first visit to church was on Christmas day. I was dedicated into the church family at 3 months old. When I was 5 months old my maternal uncle married his first wife and my mother was a bridesmaid, which I remember being told was not easy when still breast feeding me.

Copyright © 2013 Ruth Hogan