Sandy was the first born in her family, which may or may not explain some of her personality traits. Her parents seemed anxious and nervous about their baby girl, wanting her to appear perfect to her grandparents, other family members, and friends. Like all new parents, they made necessary adjustments to their daily routines.

One day, Sandy’s mother took her into the city to shop. At lunchtime when the waitress handed a menu to her mother, little Sandy asked, “Isn’t there a lady-u?” Her delighted mother gleamed at her astute daughter’s question. Sandy became an obedient, polite, responsible, and confident girl, perhaps a tribute to her parents. However, a first-born child can display a sense of entitlement, sometimes exhibiting itself as self-centeredness.

When Sandy’s first sibling was born, she resented the baby who divided her parents’ attention between their two children. Sandy adopted an aloof or jealous attitude toward the intruder baby, which continued as the two children grew older. Competition for her parents’ attention increased with the arrival of a baby brother and Sandy became an overachiever to gain her parents’ attention, pleasing them by meeting or exceeding their expectations.

An organized, punctual person, Sandy could be relied upon to accomplish assignments at home, school, and work. As an adult, she repeated, “I like to be in charge.” She did not relish delegating responsibilities, thinking no one could perform tasks as competently as herself. She was beautiful, smart, talented, conscientious but somewhat humorless.

Sandy married and gave birth to several children. When asked about her family, the response was consistent: “They are all perfect.” Well, of course they were, and so was everything in her life. After her oldest daughter, Elizabeth, married Mike, Sandy awaited the day she would become a grandmother. A hobby she enjoyed besides sewing, needlepoint, and cross stitch was knitting. She knitted hats, scarves, and sweaters as gifts and for herself. Now she anticipated knitting for grandchildren while longing to hear the expected news.

Meanwhile, Sandy’s husband received business promotions, necessitating their moving around the country, settling in new neighborhoods, and establishing new friends. Sandy maintained a guest room in each new home, ready to set up a baby crib for the first visiting grandchild. But life can toss unexpected moments in the path of well-prepared people.

Months rolled off the calendar, and Sandy realized it was the end of March with Easter approaching. The next day, she was busy with a morning meeting with one of her needle groups, followed by a luncheon with friends and a stop at the grocery store. She arrived home, placing groceries in their proper place when the telephone rang.

“Hello?”

“Hello. This is Mike. How are you?”

“Fine. Is everything okay?” She wondered why Mike was calling instead of Elizabeth. Was something amiss?

“I am okay, but I am calling to tell you we are having a baby … named April.

There was a pregnant pause, before the response, “Hmmm, April?

“Yes, Mike said. “April … April Fools.

Sandy replied, “But that isn’t a family name!”

Mike turned to Elizabeth and said, “Here, you talk to your mother. She didn’t get the joke.”