Happy birthday SweetPea!

I can still remember the first song that hubby and I heard four years ago today. As he was holding his baby girl in his arms, the song "You're Gonna Miss This" came on and hubby just melted. It was a pretty emotional day... We didn't know what we were having until Miss SweetPea popped out and hubby announced to me and the midwives "No penis!" Yes, the first words that hubby ever said to our beautiful little girl was an announcement that she was missing a fundamental part of her anatomy that daddy was sure that she would be born with. Which might make it sound that hubby wanted a boy, but nothing could be further from the truth... He just never thought that he would have a biological daughter.

the big FOUR

SweetPea was my first home birth. If she had been my first birth, she might have been my only home birth. But only because after birthing two babies very easily, SweetPea decided that she wanted to be sunny side up. That she wanted to have her cord wrapped around her neck. That she wanted to get stuck and not be born. She was my stubborn little girl then and she is still very headstrong today. Headstrong, independent, full of sass... I wouldn't trade her for all the world!

Its amazing to think that in four short years, my "little" 8lb 8oz 21.5 in baby girl has turned into such a big girl. Lighting up the room with her smile and her tall tales.... surprising people with her elephantine memory... entertaining everyone that she meets with her dancing and singing.

I feel so honored to be her mother. To be the one that gets to see all those firsts and gets to celebrate each new accomplishment with her. I am so blessed to have such a healthy, bright little girl who fills my heart with such joy. I have said each year since 2009 that she is the best Valentine's day gift that I could have ever received... and she still is.

sharing treats with her dance class

Even though today is her birthday, tonight at dance she asked to pass out cupcakes to all her friends. She wanted to share with everyone her special day. And it didn't just stop at dance.... SweetPea thought of everyone on her birthday and how she wanted to share with them. Share her homemade chocolate suckers, share her birthday cake/cupcakes, share her new Dream Light.... Everything was about making sure that no one felt left out today.

Its moments like this that make me realize that I am doing a good job raising her. There might be trying times and there definitely are days that are not fun. But then there are times like now when my heart swells with such pride over the caring, thoughtful, considerate child that I am preparing to one day, set forth into the world.