| On March 30, 1998 I woke up at 5:00 am with contractions. I was able to sleep through them for a couple more hours and they were finally getting close enough that I woke Chad to tell him that I was in labor and we would need to go to the hospital soon. He drove a friend to work and when he got home, I had called my mom to tell her that today was finally the day and got my bags all ready to go! Chad and I arrived at Irwin Army Hospital at Ft. Riley and to our surprise I was the 6th woman in labor that morning...Irwin only has 3 labor beds...so we were off to a civilian hospital!!! YEAH!!!! We drove down the Geary Co. Hospital and I was checked in and put into a beautiful suite. My parents arrived a few hours later and labor was progressing very well. I knew from the moment I was pregnant that I would want an epidural (I don't like pain!!) and eventually had the wonderful thing...unfortunately it stopped my labor and I had to be induced...OUCH!!!!! So no more nice drugs to help the pain. After a long day and even longer evening and very little progress made, the decision was made to preform a c-section. I was not able to stay awake for the c-section, because the surgical epidural was not numbing the right side of my stomach, so they gave me gas and I was knocked out. I awoke to the nurses asking me if I wanted to see my baby, I remember asking them, "Is she a girl". They said "Yes, wake up so you can go and see her!" I think I drifted back to sleep and a few minutes later woke up and was taken back to my room and met my BEAUTIFUL little baby girl, Jordyn Ashleigh Fitzpatrick. Jordyn strolled into this world 6 days past her due date, wieghing in at 8 lbs 1/4 oz and 20 1/2 inches long. She had a beautiful head full of dark brown hair and a beautiful complexion. She was the most beautiful baby I have ever seen in my life. Jordyn had many visitors. Her grandparents (my parents) of course, friends: Kandice, Nelson, Sylena, Dave, Kendra, Maureen, Daddy's work, Terry (Uncle Phil's roommate), Misty (uncle Phil's girlfriend...wife), and eventually Uncle Phil himself. Uncle Phil was also in the Army at the time and was out in the field. He was finally allowed to come in for a couple of hours to see Jordyn. The whole time he was there he did nothing but stare at Jordyn and say how beautiful she was. I had to agree! Jordyn and I were released from the hospital and headed to Grandma and Grandpa F.'s We would soon be momoving to Germany and until Jordyn and I could fly over there we would stay with them. Daddy stayed with us for 1 week and 1 day after Jordyn was born and then he flew off to Germany. Before Daddy left, his mom, sister, bil, and their children came and visited Jordyn for a couple of days. When Chad got to Germany he found out that he would be going to Bosnia for a Peace Keeping Mission. After much discussion, it was decided that Jordyn and I would stay in the states with Grandma and Grandpa until Chad was back and then we would come over. Jordyn grew by leaps and bounds. She was ahead of most children her age. She slept through the night at 2 weeks old. Laughed out loud at 2 months old. Rolled over at 3 1/2 months old. She sat alone at 4 1/2 months old and was crawling at 5 months old. Jordyn began standing up at 5 1/2 months old and was cruising the furniture at at 6 months of age! Jordyn loved her animals..BJ and Brittany (our dogs) and Cassie (cat). She would try to grab ahold of them every chance she had!! Brittany never cared what she did, as long as it was attention. BJ wasn't always so fond of her and stayed clear of her as much as possible!! Cassie was really laid back and Jordyn could do anything to her that she wanted! Jordyn loved playing with Mamaw and Papaw (Grandma and Grandpa F). Every morning when Papaw would get home from work they would spend time together. Many times they fell alseep together in his chair! Jordyn liked to wear Papaw's hats and pull his face. She also liked Papaw's M&M's!! YUM-YUM!! With Mamaw, Jordyn loved playing peek-a-boo, before bedtime. Jordyn liked to fight sleep and this was one FUN way to accomplish that task!! She liked to sit with Mamaw and play and walk between Mamaw and Papaw's chairs, because she was "Hot Stuff"!! Jordyn loved (as most babies) to pull hair. She pulled mine everyday many times a day!! When we would go and see Mamaw at work, we would always see Teresa and as soon as Jordyn got close to Teresa, she would grab her hair and pull as hard as possible!! Jordyn loved the attention she got from everyone when we went out. She would smile and flash her beautiful eyes at people. Uncle Phil and Misty would come up when they could and they loved to play with her and were always amazed at all the new things she could do and how much she had grown. They simply adored her!! The whole time Daddy was in Bosnia, he would call and everytime I would put the phone to Jordyn's ear. If she was sleeping Chad would whisper so he wouldn't wake her up, but we knew it was important that she hear his voice as often as possible. She always lit up when she would hear his voice! Chad returned from Bosnia in September and he had to get housing before Jordyn and I could come over. Finally after a couple weeks he called to say he had housing and faxed me the paperwork so I could get my orders to go to Germany with him. On October 27, I went to Ft. Leavenworth to discuss the movers coming and taking our things to be sent to Germany and I was sent down to the travel agency. To my surprise I was told I could leave as early as the next day. I was in shock and overwhelmed so I said, how about we leave in 2 days, October 29. The movers were able to come the very next day and get everything that Jordyn and I had at Mamaw and Papaw's and take it to be shipped off. The next day Jordyn and I were taken to the airport by Mamaw and Papaw, Phil and Misty...we had stopped on the way to say good-bye to her Great Grandparents...which was very tearful. She had also said good-bye to her Great-Great Grandma C. Jordyn and I boarded the plane with tears in our eyes and said good-bye to everyone. The flight went well Jordyn slept most of it and was a very happy and pretty quiet baby for most of the flight. It was a 15 hour flight from the U.S to Germany. When we got over Frankfurt it was raining and we had to circle overhead about an hour. By then I was so tired and was ready to get off the plane...so was Jordyn! Finally we landed and we were reunited with Chad!! Jordyn was a little nervous, she was 7 months old now, it was October 30 and although she knew Daddy's voice, seeing him in person was a whole new ballgame! She did go to him, but made sure I stayed nice and close by. |
| Jordyn...The Beginning |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |