Dane, I am not sure if you have heard or embraced the story that you are actually a margarita baby.  After having Sam and Joelle, I had decided I would like to have a third child in our family.  Your Dad was not quite as enthusiastic.  Things were already hectic with two children and work.  But I had come from a family of two children and wished for something different.

Your Nama Estelle had a similar desire for a third child which led to the birth of your father.  The way she told it, she wanted a third baby long after having had Stan and Bob.  Bob was more difficult (ha-ha), so she had to wait long before she was ready (plus according to Nama Estelle, her pregnancy went on for 10 months with Bob and I believe he weighed 10 lbs. when he was born, so hence the hesitation).  You can confirm this with Uncle Bob, but I believe there is nearly a 10 year age gap between him and your Dad.  Anyway, Grampa Max told your mother that she only had a certain window of time to get pregnant because he wanted to retire at a certain time, and wanted to make sure that a child was born before the school cutoff, so he would be graduated and out of the house.  Fortunately, Nama Estelle was quite fertile, because she was able to conceive your Dad within a few months of trying, and he was born when Grampa Max was 44.  That meant that when your Dad graduated from college, Grampa Max would be 66.  In recalling this story, it is sad to realize that while Grampa Max was 44 when Jon was born, your Dad was 44 when he died.

But let’s get back to the margarita baby.  I believe your Dad remembered the story of his own conception when considering to have a third child.  Eventually, I had convinced him, and I did conceivein late 1998.  Unfortunately, I miscarried that baby at around 6 weeks.  I later had another miscarriage in February of 1999. With this outcome, I know your Dad thought it was a sign that we should be content with our family as is and reconsider whether to have a third child.  He was content and not as eager as me.  And, the emotional turmoil of miscarrying was not easy, even though we were already blessed with your two beautiful sisters.

The doctor told us we should wait a month or two and then could try again to have another baby after the miscarriage.  During that timeframe, your Dad and I talked a lot about what we should do.  I was greatly saddened by the miscarriages, and a little more hesitant to have another baby after that.  We did not decide to have a third child to “try for a boy,” as people generally think.  We were quite happy with our two girls, and would have been happy with a third girl.  In fact, when we later found out you were a boy via a prenatal amniocentesis procedure, I know we were both quite shocked, but also happy to have a boy.

Anyway, your Dad and I decided to put aside the thought of having a baby for a bit and then decide later, although I was not getting any younger (already 38 by then).  So now, you must envision July 4, 1999.  Steve and Kathi Atkinson (and Kelsey) lived behind us at our Winding Creek house in Creekwood back then.  The Fourth of July was always a big hubbabaloo in Creekwood.  There was a big party at the pool with karaoke singing and drinking.  Mike Sida and the Hallihan’s put on a huge annual fireworks display in the cul-de-sac.  And after all of those festivities, the Atkinson’s invited your Dad and I over for food and more drinks.  My all-time favorite drink back then was a frozen margarita.  Mr. Atkinson served me up several, and both your Dad and I were getting a bit tipsy, so we decided to head home.

When we got there, your Dad (quite amorously I might add) said “You know what Lisa, let’s go ahead and make that third baby.  I’m ready and I definitely think we should do it.”  One will never know if that was the margarita talking, but it hardly matters now, because I am convinced we conceived you that very night.  They say you can’t tell the moment you conceive, but I clearly remember it feeling very different, as if the heavens opened, and suddenly you were there.  Yeah, indulge me here!  But if you do the math from July 4 to March 24, it makes total sense.  It takes about 40 weeks to have a baby.

Dane’s Ultrasound | 08/12/99

So forever more, if you want to thank someone for being born (besides good old Mom and Dad), you can thank the Atkinson’s, friendship, fun, and a little tequila.