8 Years

at 8:19 on January 2nd, 2001 - I was laying at MTMC listening to the sounds of my daughter's first cry. And then I cried. Something about watching those baby shows (A Baby Story, Birth Day, etc) ...ALWAYS makes me cry when the baby's born. Is this just a mom thing.. or am I alone and therefore super weird because of this?... I totally love babies.

Anyway -

Michiah's birth was different. She wasn't sick like Caitlin was. She was one week early instead of one week late and also weighed about a full pound less than her older sister. She was actually able to room-in with me - Caitlin spent 3 days in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit). I remembered being SO SCARED that I was going to break her. She seemed SO small. I remembered the intense guilt I felt when I called down to the nursery and asked them to come get her... I couldn't stop staring at her!! Making sure she was breathing! Every time I'd go to close my eyes, I'd JERK back awake ...watching her little chest rise up and down. After about 12 hours of doing this - I called the nursery and said "I'm going to lose my mind if I don't get some sleep. Can you please take her?" and they extended me the most extreme grace...and took her down. They brought her up for feedings...and they let me sleep. Bless them.

Since you get to have whatever you want to eat for your birthday - breakfast included: cinnamon rolls, bacon, sausage-egg-n-cheese biscuits and gravy.

I kid you not.

And, she ate every bite.

On her b*day, we had a little @ home party. We played UNO Flash, gave her a Dolphin WebKinz and chowed on ice cream and strawberry cake w/chocolate frosting. MMH!

I cannot believe I gave birth to my last child 8 years ago. It is hard to think about it without tearing up. She's tall, gorgeous, spunky, and PRISSY like her Aunt Magan and Aunt Lee (NOT like her mama!!). She's got a pretty amazing personality to top it all off. Riley said last night: "If Michiah wasn't my sister, I'd marry her".. I was like - "Got you on my radar, buddy..." ;)

At the end of this year, we will have a 10, 9, 8 and 6 year old. HOLY COW they're all growing up so fast! That's why my '09 resolution is to enjoy my life because I'm afraid it's slipping by.

Sunday afternoon we're going to McDonalds to have her little "party". Her Nana, Ninny & Papa, her brother & sisters, and her parents. We got her that DS that she was begging for... the pink one. I cannot WAIT to see her face!!!

I'm going to go dry my tears now, re-live my other memories... and kiss my baby. I wonder if she'll let me hold her for a little while?