Happy Birthday Laura!!!!

I said it last week and I'll say it again......How do these kids grow up so fast? You moms know what I mean. One minute you are giving birth to them, the next they are walking and talking and one step away from being potty trained. Sometimes you wish they would be little forever, other times you can't wait to see what the future holds.

Today is a day for celebrating. Today is Laura's 3rd birthday. She came unexpectedly into our lives. Yes we were planning on having another child. But we had just sold our mobile home and we were living with my parents while we looked for a place to buy or rent. Also for almost a year prior the doctors were doing what they could to help me ovulate. Can't have a baby without ovulation I was told and I hadn't done that in nearly a year. Apparently I did once. Apparently we celebrated moving out of our falling apart mobile home. And it just took one time.

I remember the day we found out I was pregnant. With 5 adults and a 3 year old under one roof, we'd all passed around a bad cold. Then we all passed around a nasty stomach bug. Then I felt sick again but nobody else did. Mom woke one day and said "I had this dream that you were pregnant. Take a test please." She can be persistent so I humored mom. I took the test. Positive. Took 2 more tests....still positive. Took the test at the doctor's office....yep still positive. It's also apparent that I don't understand what a positive pregnancy test means even though it's my second child. hahaha!

The pregnancy seemed to fly by. I did have all day sickness again though not as bad as with Katelyn. I dealt with gestational diabetes from the beginning and not at the end like before. That wasn't too bad. The migraines were what got me. I could have lived without those.

This time around I had a choice....vbac or repeat c-section. I did my research. It all boiled down to one question and I knew what the answer would be. "Doctor, can you guarantee me a baby in under 12 hours if we induce or she comes on her own?" He laughed and said "You know we can't guarantee anything if you go the vbac way." I smiled and said "Then set a date to cut me open again!" So we looked at his calendar. He gave me 3 dates: Nov. 10 (Katelyn's birthday), Nov. 17th, and Nov. 24th (Thanksgiving). I looked at Katelyn, who was with me, "Do want a baby sister for your birthday?" With all the truthfulness of a nearly 4 yr old she said, "No mommy. I just want toys." I didn't want Thankgiving. That meant I'd be on liquid diet and no homemade stuffing. So the 17th it was.

Laura came into this world a tiny 6 lbs 4 oz and 17 1/2 inches long. She grew slow but steady until she was about 7 months. But I didn't notice til she was 9 months old that she wasn't just not growing but she was losing weight. She was so skinny it was scary. That started months of trying to get weight on this kid. Finally around the time she turned 13 months the 3 lbs gained, 5 lost cycle ended and she gained. She still gains slowly but she's gaining and growing and that's what counts.

She's our spunky child. Always on the go. A bundle of laughs. Smart....too smart for us sometimes "Mommy there are no carts! The customers need carts. We are customers. Tell them to get more carts!" Loves to talk, talk, talk. (hmmmmm, where does she get that from?) Has an impish sense of humor (Please give that toy back to your sister! (she licks it: Okay here sissy!). Looks like her mommy at the same age. Love meat, meat and more meat. Esp bbq ribs. Favorite phrase when ribs are served "Mmmmmm! Meat!" Won't eat a fruit or veggie to save her life. Loves to make friends...old and young. Just a bundle of energy.

So in honor of her birthday, here is her montage. And it's a bit long because she sat in my lap and helped me choose pictures and she got mad if I didn't choose some. Yeah you can tell who rules the roost in this house.

Happy Birthday Laura!

Happy 3rd Birthday Laura 11/17/08