Happy Birthday J. T.

"Well, Mrs. Berge, when do you want to have this baby?" said the Doctor at my visit on January 6, 1977. He was just making general conversation with this question.

(He was not introducing the topic of inducing me as that was rarely done at that time.)

I was not uncomfortable at this point in my pregnancy and was not due to deliver our first born child until the end of January. However I replied "well, if I could design it, I would want this baby tomorrow and I would want a BOY, but if not that scenario, I will be happy to have a girl or boy anytime else." He smiled and said "well, I'm pretty sure you'll fill out your chart." (meaning, go to my due date the end of the month.) I had no reason to disagree with him as I had not the slightest symptom of labor.

None whatsoever.

.

I had a good reason for wanting a son on January 7th. You see, it was my father's birthday and my father had died 16 months earlier. In fact, he died 2 months before my wedding. So I was still grieving his loss and the special events of which he was no longer part. If we were to give birth to a son, we were choosing to name him John after my father (and Tobias, for his middle name, after Wally's father.) What a fine name, I thought! John Tobias! Oh, I hoped for a son..

.

However, I had little serious expectations of having our first child early.

.

The evening of January 6, 1977, my body began "no turning back" labor... and I called the Doctor and said "do you remember when I wanted this baby? I said tomorrow and I think there's a pretty strong chance it will happen as I need to come to the hospital soon!"

.

9:30 a.m. January 7, 1977.

John Tobias

.

Happy Birthday to our firstborn son!

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of January 7th...

Our little blondie...

.

and now, he is a grown man, with a lovely wife and his own little blondie...
.

Three generations.

.

A perfectly lovely not-so-ordinary son.