Happy Birthday Anna!!!!!

This was taken just a minute or two into Anna's first day at home :) She was a little less than 48 hours old.
2 months

10 months 15 months
20 months (and about 5 minutes before her first haircut!)20 months
2 and 1/2

3rd birthday

4th birthday

Wow. Five years of my life have totally flown by. Words simply can't express the emotions that flooded over me yesterday morning when I sat down and thought about my baby turning five. We have been through a lot together. Anna had a short frenulum (or tongue-tie) when she was born, so that made nursing and gaining weight extremely difficult. Poor baby was practically starving, so she was quite cranky during her early days. Once we got that fix, at about three months, she became almost a whole new baby. Anna has always been bright and mischievous :) An amusing combination...when it doesn't cause trouble ;) And she really leaped into her role as big sister. She is both bossy and loving, as I suppose most big sisters are. I don't think there is anyone Laura Kate respects more. I really can't think of a good way to put into words what the last five years have meant to me. She's been my life. I love her so much and am SO thankful to God for the blessing of having her in our lives. I have no doubt in my mind that the Lord has great things in mind for her.

So, enough mush :) Wednesday morning, Anna was greeted with a bright, shiny, new bike! In case you can't tell by the picture, it is the coolest bike ever. It's decked out in pink Disney princess accessories and accompanied by cool pink princess safety gear. We were gone most of the day yesterday, so today she was able to ride. I'm really pleased with how well she likes the bike. She didn't want to get off! I foresee hours of riding fun, which is the way any five year old should want to spend her days.

A quick story relating to the bike: yesterday morning after scoping out the sheer coolness of the bike, Anna offered Laura Kate a ride. Anna hadn't even had a ride herself, mind you. I praised Anna on her kindness, telling her how surprised and very proud I was of her. She quickly replied: "Thank you Mommy. I've changed." "You've changed?" I asked, somewhat confused. With a look as serious as it could be, she said "Yes, I've changed. I turned five."
I tried not to laugh, but it was pretty hilarious. If only turning a year older could completely change one's attitude. I would really start looking forward to my birthdays. Later in the day, Anna was being mean to Laura Kate. I told her that I was surprised because I thought she had changed and was going to be more considerate of her sister. She replied: "Well, I'm going back to being a little bit mean." This is the stuff I have to deal with and retain a straight face while doing it. Good luck to me.

We didn't have a party yesterday, but we did go to Ashely's house for a visit. After finding out it was Anna's birthday, she threw a sort of impromptu birthday party. After lunch, the kids decorated sugar cookies and Ashley gave Anna a lip gloss and fingernail polish set. Sugar and cosmetics...Ashley couldn't have done better than that in a million years, as far as Anna is concerned! We really did have a great time. I wish I had pics to post.

Saturday is p-day: party day! We will be having lunch at Chuck E. Cheese. I don't think any five-year-old could possibly turn down pizza and cupcakes. It should be fun. The last time I went to Chuck E. Cheese I was actually pregnant with Anna. I took Justin's little cousin Kimberly there for lunch one day during the summer. She was just about Anna's age at the time. She had a blast, and I think Anna, Laura Kate, and Sara will as well. I'm really looking forward to it. Hopefully I'll be a good mommy and remember to take plenty of pictures. I'll try to have them posted by Sunday afternoon.