A Sappy Happy Birthday

On Friday, the 15th of February, my sweet little girl turned four.  It's so hard to believe it's been four years since we first set eyes on her little face.  She went from a helpless snuggly newborn to a real person in the past four years. 

Just waking up from a nice (short) nap.

Sometimes I wish I could go back and spend just one day with her as a baby.  I'd hold her all day.  We'd rock, sing songs, read books, play peek-a-boo. 

Wanting the camera

 Getting reacquainted with daddy after a long day.

Loving playing with toys

 Peek a boo with mommy

 

I'd let her rub yogurt all over like lotion...

 

 

And eat popsicles with no worries about a mess...

 

Most of all though, I think I'd just watch her. 

Looking for clues back then to who she'd be today, looking for pieces of her personality that has become so defined. 

 I can't do that though.  However, what I can do, is cherish the moments that we have today... knowing that in another 4 years (or fourteen) I'll be wishing I could come back and spend a day with her.  A TODAY with her.  So instead of focusing on laundry and telling her I'll come play in a few minutes, or after the dishes are done, later... later... later...  I'm going to push aside my tasks and focus on her.  Study her.  ENJOY her.  Because today will soon be over, and she'll be different tomorrow.  Bigger.  More grown up and independent.  I'm not going to sigh when she asks me to tie her shoes for the tenth time... because soon she'll be tying them herself.  I'll take every chance I get to pull her into my arms for a quick hug, just to let her know how much I love her.  How beautiful she is.  What an amazing human being she is becoming.  And how thankful I am that God looked down and picked me, of all people, to be the mother of this amazing child. 

(As I type, she came running into the office, stark naked except for about 10 necklaces and a wristful of bracelets... hair still dripping wet from her bath... saying "Look at me!"  Yes, I stopped typing and looked... :)  She's adorable.)

Ok, well now that I'm all teary eyed I'll just post some more pictures.  :)

 Such a happy girl

 She's always ALWAYS loved her books.

 Good little mommy.  :) 

My sweet baby and me

 

Obviously I have tons (and tons and tons... ask my husband how much space they take up on the hard drive... he'll tell you ALL about it) more pictures I could post... but won't.  Once in a while I go back though, browsing through the years and the photos until I can't focus with my blurring eyes any more.  Brielle likes to sit on my lap with me during these little retreats into the past.  She loves hearing the stories that go along with the pictures, and watching the videos of herself.  So I'll content myself with that... I may not get to go back in time and experience her all over again, but I can look back with her and hold her tight... listening to her giggles and catching whiffs of the shampoo in her hair.  I'll smile and squeeze her, and a tear will roll down my cheek.

Happy fourth birthday my beautiful, sweet, sensitive, thoughtful, intelligent little girl.

Mommy loves you.