Bailey is five years old today.
How did 5 years go by so quickly? I say this all the time, but I can still so vividly remember the day she was born...the excitement, the anticipation, the fear. I remember her first night home. How exhausted we all were and how I went to sleep still in awe of the fact that, not only did I have a baby, but that by some miracle I was actually allowed to keep her. Her whole life flashes by on a constant reel in my head. Her first steps. First word. Temper tantrums. Boo boos. Smiles. Breathing in her sweet little girl smell when she hugs me. Hearing her say "I love you". I blinked, and she grew from my teeny little baby to a beautiful, sweet big girl. Just like that.
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| Bailey, a few hours old |
She starts Kindergarten in 2 months. I can't even think about that right now.
Her favorite color is still pink.
She's obsessed with babies and is constantly asking Scott and me when she's going to have a baby sister.
She loves to wear dresses and makeup, and her current favorite toy is anything Monster High.
She has a wicked sweet tooth, and Sour Patch Kids are her go-to candy these days.
She has a crush on her friend Max, and she talks about marrying him way too often.
She hates to wear pajamas and will happily sleep in the same days' clothes over and over again if we let her.
She's too smart for her own good. She loves to play in the pool, but prefers to stay close to the wall/stairs in the shallow end.
Singing and dancing are two of her most favorite things.
Her cousins are her best friends.
She has an innate sweetness in her that I am so incredibly proud of.
She has a hard time falling asleep if I'm not right there next to her.
Mint chocolate chip is her favorite flavor of ice cream.
She loves just about all vegetables, and especially carrots and lima beans.
She can work a cell phone or a DVD player than most adults I know.
She's been testing her limits with attitude lately and she often forgets that she's not a teenager. "Whatevs" is one of her new favorite phrases. As is "holla!"
She has an incredible imagination, and she's so very accepting of people.
She's super dramatic.
She loves to help. Even when her "help" makes the task take ten times longer than normal.
Her reasoning and negotiation skills rival that of any lawyer you'll meet.
She sees every day and every outing as another opportunity to make friends.
She is the best thing I've ever been a part of, and I'm proud of her every day.
She's entering her fifth year and I can't wait to see what this year has in store for her and for us. I hope that she continues to grow into the sweet and accepting person that she's already becoming. I hope that her days are filled with more happiness and laughter than sadness and tears. I hope that she never stops seeing each day as a new opportunity. I hope she still finds wonder and accomplishment in the things she does. I hope that she never loses her empathetic nature and that she continues to build on it. I hope she's a leader. I hope she's confident. I hope she's loving and loved.
I'm so in awe of my girl and of the person she's growing into, and she's brought me so much happiness these past 5 years.
Happy birthday, Bailey!
