Happy Birthday, Big Girl!

My big girl is 11 today. How did that happen? I still say that I was not in a coma, I was awake during most of the past 11 years. How did I miss 11 years? I am so thankful that I get to stay home with my babies, and even more thankful that I get to be with them all day. I am a very blessed woman. I am even more blessed to be the big girl's mom. God has granted me one of his angels. She is beautiful, loving, kind, intelligent, and funny. This one is for you, big girl.

The big girl was a roly-poly baby. She weighed as close to 9 pounds as you can, even, on the dot. Her rolls had rolls. She had a head full of dark black hair and looked just like my mother. That lasted all of two days. All her dark hair fell out and was almost immediately replaced by a very light brown and she looked just like my mother in law. Craziest thing ever. It took her almost two years to lose her beautiful blue eyes and go brown. It was a gradual thing and we watched it happen. They are a deep brown now and more beautiful than the blue. She walked at 11 months and was always a very smart baby.

One of her favorite stories is the spaghetti story. I had made spaghetti for dinner. We were introducing real food and she got a little plate. She loved it. She had spaghetti everywhere. It was in her hair, her chair, the wall, the floor. I got it all cleaned up, wiped her face after I took a million pictures, and got her ready for a bath. She crawled around while I ran her bath. I scooped her up and took her to get her nakey. She had spaghetti in her diaper. I am still amazed how she got spaghetti through the bib and the shirt she was wearing, and down in her diaper. She smiled at me like I found her secret stash of noodles. Too funny.

She started dancing at four. She had said she wanted to be a ballerina. I told her when she started school, which was only a month or so away. I called the studio where we still dance today and signed her up. She was smitten from the beginning. I loved her little pink leotard and tights. There is something about a bunch little girls in pink dance clothes that just makes me smile. I didn't think that she would get out on stage for the recital, but she did. And she still does. She has taken ballet, tap, jazz, and hip hop. She is phenomenal. She has taken hip hop for the last three years and is taking it again this year. She gets her funkiness from her mama.

She has the greatest smile. She has a little dimple that shows up when she really smiles. She has these big brown eyes that see the world in such a beautiful way. I hope she never loses that. She laughs and plays and my heart sings. I love to hear joy surrounding my children. She is very tender hearted and loves her family and friends. She doesn't like it when people are hurting, specially when it's someone she cares about. She is a fantastic big sister, always trying to protect her brother and sister. They fight, too, don't worry. But she is their hero. She takes that very seriously.

I am blessed by her sweetness and her kindness and her love. She is my heart. She is what makes our days bright and beautiful. I love my big girl.

Big girl, I hope you had a great birthday. My wish, dream, and prayer for you is one of joy for all your days, and prosperity in all things, and fruifulness in your endeavors, and true, real love to fill your life.

Have a great day!