We have officially entered "birthday season". After celebrating Brooke's 5th birthday on September 10th and Nana's birthday last weekend with a trip to Lewistown for each of them, it was time to move the party to Turbotville this past weekend.
And so, I think I owe my sweet girl a little birthday letter. I am hoping that this might also take the heat off of me for having a 20 day time span since my last blog post. At least that's what I'm hoping.
Dear Lauren,
I believe I have started every single one of your birthday letters with something along the lines of "I can't believe you're really ____ today." So I'm not going to do that. But for the record, I really can't believe you're 4.
Four years have passed since the day that I learned what it was like to have a daughter. To marvel at you and how you continue to grow and change every single day. It's been four years since I started to appreciate how pretty little girls look in pink, and to learn how to purchase hair accessories and handle your beautiful head of curls. (Your older brother gave me practice with none of those things!) It's been four years since I got the opportunity to start dreaming about what it's going to be like to take you shopping with me, or to start thinking about helping you pick out a beautiful prom dress...or a wedding dress, or a coming home outfit for your child's big debut in the world. Four years of dreaming about growing a relationship with a daughter. Although I certainly had some practice with your brother, who beat you to this Earth by three years, but every day as your mother has taught me just how different it is to mother a daughter than a son. Both are wonderful. Both are special. But they're different. And I am so thankful for the opportunity to experience them both.
Lauren, you are a true gift from God. When you were kicking my ribs on the inside, already making your presence so real and so known to me, I clung to the verse about "Every good and perfect gift is from above." And you most certainly are. You have changed me with your very being. You and your brother and sister have made me long to be a better person, to never let you down or disappoint you, even though I know I already have so many times. And I will many times again. But the beauty of loving you, all three of you, is that I always want to do better. And I hope and pray that it is that longing, and God's help, that will make me always do my very best for you.
In your four years, you have shown such an enthusiasm for life that I so admire. You are such a neat combination of things-- just enough spunk to strengthen your sweet personality, just enough leadership to make sure you don't get left behind, just enough stubbornness to make sure you always accomplish what you set out to do. You are an amazing, compassionate little girl, a fantastic sister, and a great friend. You are learning and changing so much from one day to the next. I find myself in constant wonder of the way you are conquering the world. And I can't even begin to tell you how proud I am that I get to be your Mommy.
I might have never guessed how much of a girly girl you would be from your toddler days when you were displaying your most intense personality. But you love princesses (especially Ariel), being pretty (in fact, I caught you praying the other night, thanking God for making you a little girl because you love being pretty so very much) and anything purple. Your giggle warms my heart, and your smile lifts my soul. You are such a special blessing.
Happy 4th Birthday, sweet girl. Mommy loves you more than you'll ever know...
And after all that sap, here are a few birthday party pictures...
Cousins sharing a giggle filled moment. One of many!
This was the best picture I could get of the chaos that was gift opening. It was a mess! But Lauren was so happy. There was MUCH princess attire and jewelry. And she loves every bit of it!
She loved her cake. Joshua's peanut allergy means that all of our kids' cakes have to be baked by yours truly. I don't know why, but I seem to feel the need to make them a "real" looking birthday cake, and then stress for weeks about how I'm going to manage it with my extremely limited skills. This cake wasn't perfect by any means (especially the whole front side that drooped after I sat it under the counter lights in our kitchen....slick move, right?) but she was so happy that it looked "just like a perfect Ariel cake" (in her words). So that made me a happy Mama.
Modeling her prized Ariel dress. Thank you Mowry's!!
Since Lauren's party was on Saturday, but her official birthday was yesterday, we saved her presents from us to open yesterday. Yes, she was wearing the same birthday shirt she had worn on Saturday. And honestly, if I could get that thing clean fast enough, I'm pretty sure she'd wear it daily. But she felt very strongly about wearing it to school yesterday when she took her (very purple) cupcakes to school to share with her friends. Who could say no to that.
I think this picture is my absolute favorite of all of our birthday pictures. I hope I can always pull this particular one out and remember just how amazing of a little girl Lauren is.
The next birthday party will be in less than a month, and I'm already exhausted. But our soon to be 7 year old isn't going to let me slack on a single detail.
Thanks for checking in!
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