Dearest Meredith....Six

It's once again your birthday.  I'm happy they keep coming, I just wish they didn't come so quickly.  Six.  It's such a big number.  You are soon headed out of kindergarten and into first grade, how did that happen?  Last night you came down at bed time and asked if you could sleep in my bed.  Even though a part of me knew that I should send you right back up to your room, so we could all get a good night sleep (you kick a lot), part of me knew the days of you wanting to sleep in my bed were becoming short lived.  I told you to jump on in and we snuggled up together.

In the past few months leading up to your sixth birthday you have done and achieved so much.  You ride your bike on two wheels now, you lost your two front teeth, you started reading independently, you write letters and notes that make sense and that I can read too.  You have become such a big helper around the house.  You are growing up.

I know it is cliche' about how quickly time passes, but it is so true.  I can remember sitting with you in our leather chair when you were three weeks old,  just us, sitting in the quiet and thinking....wow, three weeks have already passed, why is time flying? She will be in kindergarten before I know it.   And it was true, you went off to kindergarten in the blink of an eye.  And now that year has flown by too.

But I'm ready to embrace this new year....Six...and all the fun things that come with it.  The talks that we share, the giggles that happen before bed, and all the other things being a big girl brings too.  While part of  me will always miss the chubby fingers that once held on to me so tightly, part of me loves the firm hand nestled in mine of a confident little girl.

I love the girl you are growing up to be.  I am so proud of you.  You amaze me everyday, and while sometimes you try my patience, you mostly amaze me.  I often sit in awe of the fact that out of all the other moms out there, I was picked to be yours.

I love you Meredith.

And now for the story of your birth....as always...

Six years ago on April 8th we invited some friends over for a crawfish boil.  That same friend told me that night that crawfish were known to induce labor.  She was right.  At 6:30 am the next morning, my water broke.  I remember your dad asking if I was sure.  Which I am sure, had something to do with the joke I played on him an hour earlier claiming it did when it really hadn't.  I told him I was for real this time. And that even if it wasn't my water that had broke....something was very wrong down there and either way we needed to head to the hospital.

So off to the hospital we went, where the nurse confirmed it was indeed my water that broke.  We arrived at the hospital about 7:30am.  You were born at 12:03am the next day.  Do the math...171/2 hours later.  My epidural didn't work....your labor was no picnic.  But I promise I still think you are totally worth it.

I remember being incredibly nervous during the c-section (which is normal), I remember hearing you come out screaming, and then I remember tears of joy falling down my own face.  I then remember them whisking you away and the anesthesiologist giving me something to knock me out for the rest of the procedure.  I remember waking up in recovery and asking Dr. B if I had, had a baby.  I remember him telling me yes and telling one of the nurses to please bring you in immediately.

I remember being so out of it when I held you for the first time, but I clearly remember thinking how perfect you were and how lucky I was to know you and love you.

I love you Meredith more than I ever thought possible to love someone.  I will forever cherish that moment that changed my life and who I am forever.

Happy Birthday my sweet girl.
(That video is of you when you were only a couple minutes old)

Momma