happy 5th birthday my girl.

five years ago (yesterday) i went bowling with the youth group at church.  

it was St Patricks Day and i was almost a whole 40 weeks along in my pregnancy.

yes, i still bowled.

it was awkward, but so much fun.

we went to a house for pizza after.

then it was time to come home... 

we did have a little one to put to bed.

we arrived home and i went and placed out boy in his crib...

then i peed myself.

well, it felt like that.

i quickly covered him and stumbled out of his room calling my husband.

we figured out that my bladder wasn't weak.

my water just broke.

baby was due in 3 or 4 days...

guess bowling is a great inducer.

after a night of not sleeping we went to the hospital.

(no St Patty's baby for me)

it was time to meet our baby #2.

not long until we met...

her.

yes, i had a daughter.

bring on the pink and ruffles!

***

today she turns 5.

my baby girl.

my beauty.

i sometimes call her my Merida. 

(from the movie Brave)

when she's afraid but i am encouraging her to have courage i call her my Merida..

because Merida has courage.

then we recite her favorite verse

"When I am Afraid I will TRUST IN YOU! Psalm 56:3"

yes, she yells the last part and points up high, so i know she's not meaning me, but God.

She makes me laugh.

i make her laugh.

i read her her favorite Calvin & Hobbes and get her giggling.

she is bright, sweet, creative, silly...

she loves to read, and is excited that her brother told her when she turns five she will 

"learn lots more words"

and get to go to SK in September.

she is curious, adventurous, stubborn.

she is a joy.

she is a blessing.

she wishes she was the older sister...

(that's ok, her brother wishes he was the little brother)

she adores her brother.

she admires and adores her daddy.

she misses her grandma and grandpa, and papa and gramma.

i love to watch her.

i love to listen to her.

i love hearing her and her brother play and laugh together.

i am so glad that we have been blessed to have her as our daughter.

happy birthday little one.

this morning, when she was ready for school,

she told me "mommy i'm going to dance"

she cleared the floor in the living room and after i turned on the song of her choice...

she danced!