Time flies when you are having fun

My kids' birthdays are so bittersweet. I am beyond thrilled to see them growing and learning and changing and getting a little more independent. At the same time, I cry every birthday. Just a little. It's so hard to imagine how fast time is going by. Why is that? Why can't we just hit the pause button of life and cherish the time for just a little longer?

Today my sweet Elizabeth turns three. Three? Yes. Three. I can't imagine that three years ago today we were visiting her in the special care nursery. She was born in the wee hours of the morning. Infact, I thought for sure her birthday was going to be the day before. By four int he afternoon they were rushing her off to the special care nursery for an increased breathing rate. She ended up spending four LONG days there. While the nurses were wonderful, it was by far the hardest thing I have ever had to deal with in my whole life. She was FINE, but needed to be monitored. Wow. I never want to go thru that again.

And while I KNOW I doted on Elle a little extra in the beginning and was afraid to leave her and didn't give her her first bottle for months after she came home from the hospital for fear of nipple confusion and was way more overprotective of her than even Em, my first born, she has sure proved that she wasn't the least bit affected by that. She is one strong and independent little lady. Dear Lord. She is just plain in control. LOL. She never gives in and is so strong willed its scary. She is totally into figuring things out by herself and can go from sweet and calm one second to a full out tantrum kicking and screaming the next. Just ask her Busia cause even she knows how those tantrums work. Haha! I think we are getting past them (and I knock very hard on wood when I say that) You just have to step lightly sometimes with Elizabeth and choose your battles.

On the other hand, I am not sure out of the three of them, not one is more caring and snuggly and compassionate than Elle. I have very loving kids, but Elle takes the cake. She snuggles with anyone who will let her and LOVES to sleep in our bed and snuggles right in like a little mouse. It melts my heart to see her snuggled in with Cecelia and taking such wonderful care of her. I was so worried about her adjusting to the big sister role, but my goodness, she has put all my fears to rest.


Happy Birthday Sweet Elle Bop-a-Roni. We all love you more than you ever will know.