Five Years Ago today....

...this spicy little Miss entered the world and made me a Mommy!

Even though it has been five years, I can still remember the worry, anticipation, excitement and joy there was as we anxiously awaited her arrival.  I had the Nursey all decorated, clothes washed, diapers purchased, and house cleaned for weeks while I waited and waited for the moment to arrive.  It felt like time was going by so quick, and yet it felt like the day would never arrive when I could finally have my own little piece of joy to care for and love.  I remember the first signs of labor and how nervous Jesse and I both felt.  We packed the bag and were READY to go and have the child immediately.  Then the waiting game started.  I labored forever at the hospital...like 18 hours.  Even though it took soo long, I can still remember the rush of emotions that overtook me when the hospital staff layed her on my chest for the very first time.  I remember staring at my little girl for hours at a time in amazement at the precious miracle that had been entrusted into my keeping.  Nothing can compare to that.

I am so grateful to have Maddie in our little family; she is such a helper and does pretty well with sharing things with her brothers.  Here are some fun things I don't want to forget about her at 5:

She loves to sing. I have to admit I hardly ever turn music on at home, but she loves her primary songs and is constantly "teaching" me the songs she learns at school as well.  She also loves to sing to "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and "All the Single Ladies" on the radio in the car; as well as the Star Spangled Banner that she learned at Miss Tanya's preschool last year.  She has even taken a few turns on her Aunt Abby's karoake machine!

*

Maddie can be such a drama queen :)  The other day she dropped something on her foot at her grandparents house and sat and hobbled all over the house for a good 30 minutes.  At that point she forgot it was injured.

*

She LOVES gymnastics!  She asks me every day if she can go to her class {right now she does go twice a week to a class called "Mighty Mites"}.  She is so proud of herself for almost climbing to the top of the rope and wants to practice that every day. She also loves to play gymnastics at home with Robby and teach him how to roll and cartwheel.

*

She loves jewelry: necklaces, flowers/bows, earrings, bracelets {specifically Silly Bands}, makeup and pretty much anything else that is girly.  She begs me on a daily basis to wear makeup and quite ejoys to have her hair done "hot" (straight with a flat iron) or "all curly".
*
Even though she is girly, she is also not afraid to play rough with boys.  She has two younger brothers and it sures shows up in this way.  She is down for a game of tackling, playing trains, or just plain playing in the mud.  She begged me to buy her some shoes so that she could "run faster than all the boys at school during recess."
*
She is hilarious in some of her requests.  For her birthday she announced that she wanted a "candy buffet" and when I hadn't a clue what she was referring to, she accurately described exactly what it was.  I later googled it and was shocked to find out that it was exactly what she said.  Where she came up with this...I will never know
*
Maddie loves to do gardens on her back at bedtime as well as guess the letter/number.  I for one am a big fan of this, because I always score a backrub or two out of this :)