Happy Birthday, Sweet Baby Girl

From the time I found out I was having you, I wondered who you would become. I was amazed all over again at what God can do to create such a complex little person. Would you be a carbon copy of your dad, just like Trey? Would Trey love you as much as I already did? Would you be a girly girl, or one of the guys who just happens to have fabulous shoes? Would you grow up to be so-very-tall like your momma or be blessed with recessive genes and be more on the average side? What color are your eyes going to be? Are you going to need your first haircut at 13 months like your brother? Are you going to have a hard time learning to nurse, like he did? Who are you? What am I going to name you? I've had Leah picked out since 1996 but now I'm not so sure. The bigger you got, the more I loved you. Trey was so excited to have a baby sister and your daddy was a little aprehensive about having a little girl in the house. Silly daddy.

I expected to go through all of the same symptoms of labor that I did with your brother: cleaning the window sills with a Q-tip, having regular contractions, being generally irritated. I didn't even realize that I was nesting when in fact I very much was. I started dinner and in the middle of cooking I decided that we needed brownies for dessert. Not boxed brownies, brownies from scratch! I didn't pick up on my little symptom and neither did your daddy. That night I had a dream that one of our friends who is a midwife decided it was time to check me and that I had dilated to 5cm. Ha! Wouldn't that be nice? We had our appointment with our midwife the next day and I told her about my silly dream. I mean, there was no way, and it was 6 days before your due date. Trey was late, I knew you would be too. Well, Cdr Black was very excited about my dream and decided she was going to check, just in case. Guess what, little one? I was in fact 5cm! She told us to walk around for a couple of hours and then come back to bring you out. Um, well, that would be great to walk, however, I have to pack!

When we came back, I was admitted to a room right away. I still was not feeling a single contraction. It wasn't until I got to 6cm that they started to come in with enough force that I had to stop and breathe. Instead of trying to be SuperWoman like before, I asked for my epidural nice and early in order to catch Mr. Anesthesiologist. What a difference a good anesthesiologist makes! THIS time, it actually worked and laboring was actually pleasant. There were several contractions that we missed the pushing opportunity on because we were all too busy yakkin' it up to notice. Finally, we got down to business and the doctor put his hazmat gear on and got in the catching position. I pushed like a pro. There's some things your body doesn't forget how to do. When I saw your little head I started laughing and it was so hard to try to finish getting you out since I was giddy with excitement. In a matter of seconds, there you were, on my tummy. You were so warm and tiny and beautiful with dark hair and slate blue eyes. You looked like Trey. I couldn't believe my little princess was finally here.

You have been an absolute joy. You are such a mellow, sweet baby. You are starting to get your moments as you head into your second year, but the nursery workers at church still fight over who gets to have you first. You miraculously are average in height and weight which makes me so happy. No 95% baby this time around! You hair is dark, like mine, and you have beautiful grey eyes. You and Trey are the best of friends which is every mother's dream. This year has flown by. It's so hard to believe that you've been part of our family for an entire year. There are so many exciting things to come, and this past year has been a year of exploration and development for everyone. I thank God for you every day.

Happy Birthday Leah Noelle! We all love you and are so thankful that you are here!

Leah
Originally uploaded by Jen in San Diego.