The anniversary of the day my life began

Seven years ago tonight, I became a mother.  Seven years ago, my entire world changed.  For the better.

As I tucked her in to bed tonight, I told Annabelle once again the story of the night she was born.  How I waited anxiously all day.  How it was such an easy labor that I even napped in the afternoon.  How Aunt Beth and Erin flew all the way from Kuwait, arriving only 2 hours before she was delivered.  I only pushed once and out she came – she was easy right from the start.  She was an almost-9-pound baby, which is ironic considering how petite she is now.  I told her how I slept with her in my arms for days, because I loved her so much I couldn’t tear myself away from her.  And I told her about Dr. Buck, who kissed my forehead and said ‘Congratulations.  You’re a momma now.’  The most simple, profound words I’d ever heard.

Seven years ago tonight, this little angel of a girl changed my world – and one day she’ll change the rest of it, too.

On a lighter note…

We celebrated today with a skating party.  Catie got to invite her friends, also.  Since she has a summer birthday, she’ll never be able to have a party with school friends, so she was super excited about sharing in Annie’s big day.  All told, about half of the invited kids were able to come which, given past turnouts, was a pretty good number.

Annie wanted to have a Phineas & Ferb party, but unfortunately I couldn’t find anything available to make that happen.  Which is quite odd, if you ask me.  The show’s been out for two and a half years and it’s wildly popular.  What gives?

Anyway, I was able to order this edible icing creation off of eBay, so at least she had a proper cake:

The skating rink always has a limbo contest, every time we have been there.  And every time, Annie has won.  Every single time.  I think it’s because she’s so tiny she hasn’t even hit the bottom of the growth chart yet, but hey, at least it pays off in the form of chintzy plastic toy prizes.

On an unrelated note, have you ever noticed that skating rinks universally seem to have been decorated in the 80s and never updated?  Neon and blacklight – totally rad!

My sassy little Catiebug:

And a semi-decent picture of Lilly, who next to never looks at the camera.

After the party, my husband’s family came to our house for presents.  Annie got a salon chair which was a big hit, and Uncle Mike was a very good sport about getting a makeover:

And she also got the new bike she’s been eyeing ever since she ditched her training wheels.  A super sporty Barbie bike that has a miniature bike on the handlebar so that her doll can ride along with her:

See that green tee and jeans behind her?  That’s me.  Enjoy the view of my hip there, because that’s about as close as we ever get to me being in a picture.  I’m usually manning the camera, and on those rare occasions when my husband does apparently he doesn’t care to snap a pic of me.  Humph.

I wish the story ended happily there, but unfortunately later Annie was screaming in pain with an ear infection.  And the only pharmacy still open was out of the antibiotic we need, so we have to wait until tomorrow morning to start treatment.  I’m anticipating a long and sleepless night.  Hence the reason this post is so terribly late in the day – yet, I’d like to point out, still on February 13th (with a few minutes to spare).  NaBloPoMo, still going strong.

Johnny Depp once said that “Anything I’ve done up till [the day she was born] was kind of an illusion, existing without living.  My daughter, the birth of my daughter, gave me life.”

I feel exactly the same way.

Happy Birthday Annie Mary.

xoxo

Makeover Monday – The Blog Edition

I must be crazy.

Well, more crazy than I already knew I was.

February is going to be insanely busy.

The forum I moderate is doing a big 280 challenge, and not only am I participating, I’m monitoring others’ participation as well.  280 new listings in one month – a lofty but attainable goal. 

Wanna make some extra cash this month?  Consider joining us at HCTS and earn some spending money just in time for spring break fun!

Beyond that and on top of the usual household stuff, I have several projects waiting on me.  I need to organize my work room (which in large part hinges on this challenge!), prepare our taxes, and rearrange some furniture (moving from room to room). And a certain someone I know is turning 7.

I’m also doing a little bloggy makeover.  No, I’m not changing the design.  I love the design, and I’m rather attached to it.  I’m weird like that – I hate it when a blog I love changes their design on me.  I roll with change pretty easily in the real world, but in blog land notsomuch.

So where was I?

Oh yeah, my makeover.

It’s a blogging style makeover.  And I really hope I don’t get sick of this find myself unable to fulfill my commitment.

I have three friends who have recently done the NaBloPoMo challenge and they’ve inspired me to do the same.

It’s no coincidence that I chose the shortest month of the year to do this.

I will give it my best to have a new post every day in February.

I will not promise you that they will be profound.

But they will exist, 28 days in a row.  And given my recent extended leave from the blogosphere, that’s quite a makeover.