Happy Birthday, FlapJilly

Six years ago last night, your mommy had a backache and wondered why.  She scoffed when I told her that she was in labor; you weren't due for a week or so and your mommy is a woman who plans ahead.  She assumed that you would, too.

By 7 in the morning, 6 years ago today, I was washing the bedding soaked from when her water broke, as Daddy drove you all to the hospital.  Of course, you were unaware of all this commotion, floating along in your pool of amniotic fluid.  While you were deciding when to join the world, I vacuumed and read and had just stretched out for a nice afternoon nap when I was summoned to the hospital.

Maga and Papa were there and Mommy wanted to be sure that I didn't miss any of the fun.  So the three of us sat in a lovely, sunny, almost comfortable waiting room, watching heavily pregnant women walking the hallways, trying to coax their recalcitrant passengers to get off the bus.  

That was fun, but seeing your Daddy's big grin as he walked down the hall, announcing your name and just about tripping over his joy.  

I won't describe the mad rush to hold you, your first night at home (replete with projectile pooping, a thunder storm, and a frantic dog), or my feeble attempts to figure out how to put a baby wrap around my self..... those are stories about us.

What I remember about you is your searching, piercing, big, dark eyes.  

I remember holding you on my chest at 3 in the morning so Mommy could sleep and I could sing you the songs my Bubba sang to me, tell you the stories Daddooooo made up for me, pat your back and croon shhhhhhh into your sweet smelling keppeleh as G'ma would have called your delicious little head.  

There was a chain behind you.  I was conscious of holding the next link

And now you are 6.  You need two hands to show us just how old that is.  You've left Disney's princesses behind for fairies and unicorns and adventures.  You'll be starting 1st grade, learning to read chapter books and write your very own stories. 

Where did the time go?

You're a big sister now.  You can cook and you can clean and you can amuse your grandmother for hours, adding filters and decorations to our FaceTime chats, loving how you look just as much as I do.  Your heart is as big as the Milky Way and your smile is as bright as those stars.  You have all the emotions, all the feelings, all the time.... and a Mommy and Daddy who understand and help you figure it all out.

There will be a time when we can hug.  There will be a time when you can style my hair.  For now, I can only send you virtual hugs and kisses .

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox