Uncle B meets Reilly

Bryan gazes down at sweet Reilly; he is an UNCLE!

Bryan was there on Monday, August 25, 1997 at noon when our first child was born. I gave birth, very quickly, at Palomar Hospital in Escondido. I was only there an hour, barely time to let anyone know that I was in labor. But Bryan knew. And he was there. Waiting outside the delivery room with both pink cigars and blue cigars--we didn't know yet she was a girl! He had a buddy, Conan, with him. These two young, unmarried guys were hanging around in the hospital waiting room for the news that she had arrived. My mom was in the room as I delivered Reilly and she went running out to share the news of her safe arrival with Bryan. He was so excited that he rushed in to see...the placenta being delivered. Poor brother. This may have been a contributing factor to his childlessness! I looked over at him and watched him as he turned several shades of green and rushed right back out that door.

He waited until Bob came out to introduce his daughter, Bryan's niece to him: Reilly Lee Fitzpatrick. His first words were, "Maybe if I hold her nose and blow on her belly button something will pop out between her legs!" He had to wait three more years for one (or two) of those. He was grinning and wearing a lame gift-shop pin that said, "I'm a Proud Uncle!" and handing out yucky pink gum-cigars. He hugged me and then asked what I wanted to eat (he felt it was barbaric that mothers had to fast while in labor!) and returned with my special request, an ATC from Submarina. What a guy. Always looking out for me. And that was the start of Uncle B. He always shared a special relationship with smiley Reilly.