Our baby girl turned two today. TWO. We can scarcely believe it. Seems like not too long ago Josh and I were at a wedding for one of his friends. It was hot. I wasn't feeling that great. I felt bad asking if we could skip the reception. He kindly obliged. On the drive home I really began to not feel well. We got home and called the doctor who informed us, to our surprise, that I was contracting. He told us to slowly make our way to the hospital. He would meet us there. We were in the car in ten minutes. At the hospital in twenty. I labored for a few hours before my doctor arrived and I was wheeled in for a c-section. 10:43pm. Healthy. Beautiful.
We celebrated this past Saturday with an ice cream get together at our house. We invited family over. My mom decorated. My mil provided the food.
Emerson has 7 great grandparents. Isn't that unbelievable? And 6 who came to her birthday.
It was a casual and fun day. Emerson was so excited she was bouncing off the walls. Her joy is contagious.
I look at her and marvel at the intricacy of human life. My mother would tell you that Emerson is such a character. She loves to play pretend and to read. Those two things alone account for 90% of her day. Three of her strengths are connecting, remembering, and communicating things. Her silhouette is distinguishable by the two fingers that are always in her mouth and the shirt tags she is always holding on to.
She loves to bargain with you, always trying to convince whoever is nearby that she should have "just one more" while holding up all five fingers. She likes to swing really high in the baby swings at the park and go down the slide on her stomach. She is hesitant towards the new but is a go getter when comfortable. She tends to always want the toy "that kid" has except when she gets it. Then she doesn't want it anymore. She laughs easy. And lately has been testing her boundaries with us, giving us a chance to identify our boundaries and set limits. Showing us how to discipline and when to chose not to.
She has made us better. She has opened our eyes to a new world and has taught us more about patience, love, and sacrifice than anything/anyone else could. That's what parenting does to you. Easily one of the purest pictures of how God loves us.
Our children have given our lives, life.
It's way past my bedtime and my son will be up often tonight. I am too tired to proof read and edit for eloquence and flow. But I wanted to get this down so that one day when she happens upon an old blog her mom used to write, she'll get another glimpse into who she was and who we were as parents.
To my older daughter, what is the one thing I always tell you that is still the most relevant and important thing in your life today? That Jesus loves you honey. You are never alone. He lives in your heart and will guide you as you go about this life. Seek Him with all your heart and he will direct your path.
All my love,
