Five. Five? Seriously?

My favorite picture of you and I, taken when you were 3 weeks old.

My new favorite picture of you, taken the day before you turned five.

*****

Laineybug, Buggles, Bugalicious, Bug,

I know I say this every year but I truly cannot believe you are five years old today. Four seems so young and five seems so much more mature to me for some reason.  You are, without a doubt, my favorite girl in the entire world and really, one of my favorite people in general.  I can't think of any way that I could love you more but I know that tomorrow, I will love you more than I do today.

I can remember what it felt like waiting for you to arrive. Your Daddy and I were so SO excited to be parents and super excited to meet you.  Every time we saw you at the doctor's office on the ultrasounds and heard your heartbeat we got more and more excited to hold you and love on you.

The day you were born began like any other day. It was Friday and a friend from out of town was visiting and Daddy and I planned on going out to dinner that evening with him.  I drove Daddy to work in Seattle so that we wouldn't have two cars and on my way home, stopped at my favorite paper store, Paper  Zone (which recently went out of business, breaking my heart) to pick up some paper to make thank you cards for all the lovely gifts we received for you.  While waiting for the store to open I got a couple of phone calls from friends asking if you were here yet. Nope, not yet I told them.

I was at home making some cards when your birth-mommy called me and said she was going to the hospital but wasn't sure if this was "it" or not.  I immediately stopped making cards and got our stuff together: mine and daddy's suitcase and your bag of new clothes, blankets and diapers.  I called Daddy and told him to come home NOW but he reminded me that I drove him to work!  So I hopped in the car and went to get him from work.

We drove down to Tacoma and we were so excited that I don't even remember driving there.  When we got to the hospital, the doctor was in with your birth-mommy and so we waited out in the waiting room.  Grammy and Grandpa arrived shortly after us and we prayed for you and  your birth mommy and couldn't hardly contain our excitement. I was going to be a Mommy!  A little while later a nurse came out and told us it was ok to come into the room so we left Grammy and Grandpa and went in.

Pretty soon it was time for you to make your grand entrance. It wasn't very long, about 15 minutes and you were here! I looked at the clock immediately, wanting to know the exact time you were born. 2:56pm on Friday, March 2, 2007.  The hospital was nice enough to let us stay in a room there so we didn't have to leave you at night, although I did have to give you to them at night so you could sleep in the nursery.  Nobody told me that I was only supposed to give you a little bit of your bottle at every feeding.  You were so hungry that you drained it dry!  We couldn't figure out why you were so cranky at night.  The nurses thought you might be allergic to your formula so they kept switching it, which couldn't have helped matters but really, you were mad because your tummy was so full!  Ooops! I'd been in charge of you for all of two days and I'd already screwed up.

Finally, on Monday, we got a call from our attorney letting us know that you were officially ours and we could take you home!  Daddy drove your birth mommy home while I got to have you with me. I couldn't get over the fact that there was a little person in the back seat and kept looking back at you.  When we got home we introduced you to Cooper who thought you were extremely interesting and stayed by you and Mommy.  We took you around your house and showed you the room we decorated just for you.  You were home at last.

My life has never been the same since that day. It's like my life began the day I walked in our house with you in my arms.  Where I couldn't imagine myself as a mother, now I can't imagine not being your Mommy.  I love you so much Bug that it brings tears to my eyes and makes my heart hurt a little, in a good way.  I thank Jesus every day for bringing your birth mommy and I together, and Beau's birth mommy for that matter.  Jesus has a plan for all of us.  Sometimes, most of the time, we don't know what it is, but He always knows what is best for us. And you and your brother are the best things  that has ever happened to Daddy and I.  We are so blessed to be your Mommy and Daddy.  Happy Birthday sweetpea.

I love you 152 baby girl,

Mommy