When my sister's third child, Lauren, was born, she was not content with the attention she was getting at the regular hospital, so she decided to stop breathing.  The “Angel Flight” helicopter took her to Egleston Children’s Hospital where she spent several days.  My sister was still in the hospital in Gainesville, recovering from the birth, so I stayed at Egleston with Lauren.  The staff at Egleston taught us all Infant CPR, and sent Lauren home with a breathing monitor.  She kept that for several months, but didn’t show further signs of respiratory difficulty, so they finally took her off of it and she has been healthy ever since.

Lauren is a beautiful happy child.  She is a peacemaker.  She has to be with two brothers.  My sister was thrilled to have a little girl to dress, but it didn't take long for Lauren to outgrow willingness to wear the cutsie clothes my sister made.

Lauren began taking ballet at a very young age.  I attended all of her recitals.  Attending a ballet recital in a small town has very little in common with attending the real ballet.  In fact, I like to refer to Lauren's recitals as "The Redneck Ballet" because parents and friends often whistle and shout, "You go girl!" during the performances.  Of course, my family is much too refined to participate in such antics.

Like her brothers, Lauren is quite a good athlete.  She has participated in basketball, cheerleading, and soccer.  Her soccer team is known as the Queen Bee's.  Queen Bee is a good description of Lauren.  She likes to rule the roost.  My sister once found a note in the pocket of Lauren's jeans in Lauren's handwriting that said something like, "Lauren is the boss.  When Lauren is not here, Rachel is the boss."

Lauren is a great travel companion.  She is the most responsible of her siblings.  She's ready when she's told and always has her things in order.   We've taken her to Paris, Bermuda, Ireland, Utah, Germany and Italy.  She kissed the "Blarney Stone" in Ireland, but she didn't really need to, she already has the "gift of gab".  Lauren is old enough to drive now and really developing into a beautiful young lady.

She was recently elected Junior Princess on the homecoming court at her high school.  I couldn't have been more excited if they had elected me!  It was raining cats and dogs the day of the homecoming game, but wild horses couldn't have kept us away.  She looked so pretty!

March 2009 Update - Lauren is now in college at BJ's alma mater, North Georgia.  She recently joined Phi Mu Sorority and was elected the Student Government Association representative for her class.