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In the post below, I shared how I recently went to St. Mary's hospital to see Lauren's new baby brother. And that the last time I was at that hospital was to see my own baby brother.

Today is Daniel's 24th birthday so I decided to dig up some pictures from the day we picked him up! These were, of course, before the world of digital cameras, so they are really just pictures of pictures...thus the low quality of them...but you'll get the idea. :)

We went to pick Daniel up one day, but due to his jaundice, we had to wait one more day to bring him home. We did get to see him that first day, but just through the window.

The next day we got to go in the nursery and see him up close and personal. I specifically dressed my teddy bear for the occasion and had a present to give Daniel.

Aw! Wasn't he cute?? :} Wish this pic was bigger!

The Browns put a "Welcome Daniel" sign up outside our house. (Michael, you were right...it was black and white...I must have remembered the blue bows - I knew there was something blue on it! :) Michael says he also remembers us driving down the street where we both lived across from each other and Mom rolling down the window and asking if he (they?) wanted to see her new son! :) He remembers more than I do about a lot of things. :)

My own real live baby doll! I was very annoyed that I was too little to carry him around and hold him as much as I wanted.

My grandfather holding Daniel while I show off the soft baby rattle I got for him.

For our adoption, we had to keep the news a secret until Daniel was home with us. I kept that secret for a Very Long Time for a 5 year old! Then, on top of that, the day he came home, a group of friends from our old church came that evening and surprised Mom and Dad by singing Christmas carols outside our front door and bringing presents for our new baby! I can remember my grandparents filling me in on the secret as they realized I was standing there while they were discussing it. I promised not to tell - and I didn't! It took Mom and Dad a minute or two to figure out where all that Christmas music was coming from - they were definitely properly surprised! They were also eager to show off their little boy - but only one lady came in to see him - the rest thought it would be too much for them all to come in.

I got to open all Daniel's presents since he was too little to do it himself, which I of course loved! I can remember not caring about all those silly cards - I just wanted to see what was in the gift! :) One lady, Mrs. Hurst, even remembered to include me and sent me my own little gift - the dog I am holding up in this picture. I was soo excited and felt so special that she thought about me. That's usually the first thing I remember when I she comes to mind. :)

Just a couple weeks later Daniel celebrated, er, slept through his first Christmas! :)

(That's my cousin, Jonathan, sitting next to me.) Even way back then I loved babies!

Well, he isn't a baby anymore! But he is still my baby brother...and most definitely the baby of the family! Lol!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DANIEL!!!