Friday, March 9, 2012

Little Girl Turns 7!

This morning, at 8:18 a.m., my little girl turned 7 years old.

Every year, I tell her the story of the day she was born - of the snowstorm the night before that ended before we left for the hospital, of the mercifully empty roads and the cautious doctors who had me come in earlier than they might have for a first time mom. Of how anxious she was to enter the world that she took practically no time at all. Her favorite part of the story is how she made her appearance crying, and while crying she looked around, found her Daddy, stopped crying, and stuck her tongue out at him!

Little Girl is pretty smart. Thankfully, she is also very social, so she's never bored at school. She has some artistic talent, and loves to do arts & crafts. She has attempted knitting, but finds it too be too difficult right now. She prefers her knitting spool, and she really prefers her paints and canvases. She can put together an outfit with accessories like no other 7 year old I've met. We won't be surprised if she has a career in fashion someday.

She's an excellent big sister to Baby Girl, and she's not too shabby to her brothers either. She asks a lot of questions about social situations - about how to keep everyone happy while still being true to herself. Like her brothers, she plays hockey. And she's really good.

She's not a perfect child (despite what people outside my house might think). She's a bit of a tattle-tale, and she can be downright snotty. But overall, she's a great kid.

Her birthday is more than just a birthday for me, because it marks when I first truly became a mother. I didn't enjoy being pregnant (WAY too much puking), but I loved labor and delivery. I didn't immediately feel "bonded" with the little creature I held in my arms, but I did feel protective. I remember getting angry at the very idea that anybody would be mean to her on the school playground. Thankfully, bonding didn't take too much time, and structuring my life around my baby came pretty naturally to me. I LOVE being a mother, and I am so thankful that I've been able to stay home with my children.

I am especially thankful for Little Girl. Her naturally independent spirit has been a great example to the younger kids (her first phrase was "No, Mommy. By myself."), and she has proved resilient to all my parenting mistakes. She's still a cuddle-bug, and still loves to spend time with me. I hope that lasts for a long time.

Happy Birthday, Little Girl!

No comments: