Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

***Oops, this was supposed to have been posted on February 26, but since becoming a Facebook Mafia War widow, I can't get on the computer at home to get the pictures that J scanned for me posted on here. Maybe next year! LOL!***

I can't believe my baby is 8 years old today. Where has the time gone, and who exactly gave her permission to be this old?

She came quickly into the world at 8:01 a.m. I was only in labor for 2 hours and only pushed 3 times. I was so happy to finally have a girl I could dress in pink and frills.

She weighed 7 lbs 7 oz and was 19 inches long. Compared to her brother who was one day shy of being 17 months older, she was so tiny. I was afraid her going home outfit wouldn't fit.

She wanted to sleep all the time in the hospital, I was worried she wasn't getting enough to eat, but she finally figured it out and ended up putting on a lot of fat rolls in no time at all.

Of all my kids, she was by far the hardest infant (heck, she still is). Colic set in at about 3 weeks, and the evenings and nights became very long and difficult, until she found her right index and middle finger to suck on at about 11 weeks. There were some nights J made the McCarran loop more than he'd like to admit. There were times, this girl slept in her car seat after these trips; we didn't want to wake her up by putting her in her crib. Just let sleeping dogs (or babies) lie.

From an early age, she proved to be a "minnie me". Yeah, she's high maintenance, whiny, demanding, spoiled...just like her mom.

She is really a girly girl. She loves her dolls. Her favorite doll is "Dora". Her American Girl Bitty Baby doll. She got it from Santa when she was just two years old. Over the years she has gotten plenty of clothes. The poor doll is very "loved" and is really falling apart at the seams. She likes to play house and school. She loves shoes, clothes and earrings. She loves to buy cheap lip gloss and goop it on. She loves to have her finger nails painted and take bubble baths.

But on the other hand, she loves to be with her dad and brothers doing the hunting thing, has no problems with dirt or bugs or blood.

She is a mother hen. She just loves little girls and trying to be the big sister to them. Really she would have made a great oldest child instead of the youngest. She loves to help around the house doing things like sweeping, mopping, and cleaning the bathroom, but she's horrible at doing chores. She is a pack rat and a slob. (Sorry, but it's true). She wants to help really bad, but doesn't quite get it that she's still young and small to do somethings.

She loves school. So much in fact, one time we were all just kind of laying around with nothing to do and she said, "I'm bored, let's do homework." She loves to read, and is doing really well at it. She can read through a 4th grade level book now in an evening. Girl after my own heart on that one. When she grows up she wants to be a dentist AND a teacher.

She loves the colors pink, blue and purple and LOVES butterflies in any shape and color. She must love butterflies because she's a social butterfly herself.

She hates wearing shoes and socks. She'd live in flip flops if we'd let her.

Like all my children, this girl was graced with a bad stubborn streak. Life is going to be fun when she's a teenage girl complete with hormones...

But I look forward to watching this crazy girl grow up into a lovely young lady. I'm happy she is part of our family.

On this special birthday, Louie Blue, we wish you all the best! We love you more than you'll ever know! We are proud of you!