my baby turned 4 today.

When I was a kid, I never really got it… My parents always wanted to spend my birthday with me.  When I was in college, I couldn’t understand why it was so hard for them to be away from me on my birthday… after all, it was MY birthday.  Then, the day my first baby turned one year old, it hit me like a lightning bolt.  Not only was it the day of her birth, but it was also the anniversary of the day I gave birth to her.  Throughout the day, I found myself thinking things like, “one year ago to the minute, I was in labor” and “one year ago I was holding my baby girl for the first time.”

Four years later, not much has changed.  In fact, last night I sent my husband a text message reading, “my water just broke.”  Probably a somewhat terrifying text to receive from your very NOT PREGNANT wife.  My point is, I get it now.  Birthdays not only celebrate the day the child entered the world, but they are also a celebration for everyone who loves that child.  So, thanks Mom and Dad, for following me around the country, wherever I may have been to always wish me a Happy Birthday in person.  Not to worry, I am sure I will do the exact same thing to my own 🙂

I feel so very lucky to have been blessed with such a sweet and spunky girl.  She makes me proud of her every day.  She is a wonderful big sister and she loves her little sister with all of her heart.  She loves animals and is so kind to them.  She is sensitive and compassionate and a wonderful friend.  She loves to help around the house (I hope this trait lasts well into her teenage years).   She is brave.  She is funny and has a fantastic sense of humor.  She uses silly voices and faces to make us smile.  She loves turquoise.  She is assertive and asks for what she wants.  She is also shy.  She adapts well to new situations.  She is creative and loves art.   She loves writing and coloring.  She is a wonderful caregiver to “fishy.”  When she grows up she wants to be a dolphin trainer.  She makes me so proud of the big girl she is becoming.
Happy 4th Birthday, Sweet Girl.