Courtney Anne Dirks

Dear Amelia Alixandra Dirks:

Today is your Mommy’s 30^th birthday…which I cannot believe. Seriously…where did the time go?

Your Mommy seemed to be pretty content in my tummy so it took a couple of trips to the hospital before she decided to grace us with her presence. Since she was two-weeks overdue so the first trip to the hospital was to be induced (or as your great Aunt Katie told Great-Grandpa Grade…I was going to the hospital to be seduced…funny) and it did not work but the second trip was the charm. After almost 30 hours of labor she made her entrance…and life was never the same.

She was born on 12/2/1980 at 9:51 pm at Eitel Hospital in Minneapolis. It was a very small hospital near Loring Park (that closed in 1985) and she was the only baby born that day so we got lots of attention. The nurse said as soon as she was born that she looked just like the Gerber Baby…and she did. She had big brown eyes and a little bit of brown hair (she has beautiful hair now…but was 3 years old before she had “real” hair) and perfect little rosebud lips.

The doctor that delivered her was this crazy Russian guy by the name of Dr. Yankelvich. She weighed 7 pounds 11.5 ounces and was 20 ¾ inches long. I do not recall the exact circumference of her noggin…but when she was born Dr. Yankelvich asked, in a very thick Russian accent, “if big head-skis run in our family”. The answer was YES.

We named her Courtney Anne Stephens. I loved the name Courtney from the time I was in high school and knew if I ever had a baby girl that was what I was going to name her. Her middle name is after your Great Aunt Anner. If she had been a boy we would have named “him” Sam. In those days we did not know what our babies were going to be until the moment the doctor told us.

From that day forward my life changed…in the best way possible. Being a Mommy is the most amazing and rewarding experience ever. Your Mommy made it easy…she was so good natured and easy-going…well until high school anyway. She was loved by so many people…her Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and lots of family friends.

So here I am, barely over 30 myself, watching my baby be a Mommy. I could not be any more proud of her and being a Mommy is very natural for her. You know this already because she is your Mommy.

Your Mommy is a great wife, daughter, sister, niece and granddaughter too. Your Daddy is a wonderful Daddy and is just perfect for your Mommy. They are great friends and wonderful parents. Papa Jim and Grandma Kiki did a wonderful job raising him and he is an important part of our family along with Billy, Pam, Jaxi, Alex, Tore and of course Cookie. Your Mommy and Uncle Billy have a very special relationship and bond that I hope some day you will have with a sibling. (Hint intended…)

I was lucky enough to be in the delivery room when you were born and fell in love with you the moment you were born. You light up my life and I love you with all my heart. I cannot even imagine life without you. I have been blessed in so many ways…and in the words of Flossy…I am one lucky old broad.

Love Always,

Glamma (aka Amma)