Happy Birthday

This morning I woke up and a little face was smiling down at me. As I tried to open my eyes... the blurs formed the shape of my daughter Alayna. She sat above me waiting for me to wake up. Quietly and patiently waiting. After I realized that she was really there and not actually a mirage, I sat up and said' "Good Morning Sweetheart!" She smiled at me the Alayna smile that makes me just scoop her up into my arms and squeeze her. This smile makes my heart dance. I never knew what that expression meant until I had her. My heart literally dances whenever I am around her.

As she sat there and looked at me and cuddled her head into my neck and I say, "It's your birthday today Princess! Happy Birthday!" She says, "I know Mommy... I am four today!" So I break out into the birthday song. And once I finish Alayna jumps out of my arms, off my bed, and says "Thank you Mommy that was beautiful! That was the best song ever!" all while twirling in circles like a ballerina with a huge smile on her face. After she's done spinning she looks at me and giggles. She's so darn adorable that I scoop her up into my arms again and tickle her until we both collapse onto my bed in laughter.

I then ask her, "Now what does my birthday princess want for her birthday?"

To which she replies, "Cereal".

That's my baby. Just the simple things make her happy.

And this morning is like most of our mornings. She lays in my bed patiently waiting for me to wake up and feed her breakfast. She's such an early bird so I usually wake up right after she comes in and makes herself comfortable. I loves our mornings. I love waking up next to her sucking her thumb, smiling, and wispering good morning in my ear. I go to sleep so I can wake up to this everyday. And although this was very routine... couldn't help but feel completely different because of the date.

I knew her birthday was coming, I've been planning her party non-stop for a while now, I have been so excited for this day to come. But I was in completely shock that my baby girl is now 4 years old. Really? Four? With Diego it still hasn't phased me that he's getting older. Besides the fact that he's gotten older way too fast, I don't ever feel sad that he's growing. it suits him. He's so mature that getting older is just helping him learn more and grow more and become the person he is going to be. But with the princess... she's still so much my baby. She's still so much my little girl that loves playing dress-up, having tea parties, and taking care of her babydolls. And as she gets older I see that my baby's childhood slipping out of my hands and I am losing grasp. Don't get me wrong, I know I still have many years of her being a child to go... but it's like they are going by way too fast for me.

This week she learned how to spell her name and write it, swim without floaties, and she got over her fear of jumping into the pool. It amazes me how fast she's learning! And now I am preparing for her to start preschool in a few weeks. That means I will have 2 kids in school.

It makes me all emotional thinking about how fast this is all going. But that's why I am so thankful to be a stay-at-home Mom. I have enjoyed every second of my kids' lives. And I am glad I have my camera to capture all our memories and a blog in which I can write down all our stories.

So happy birthday princess! Can you promise to stay a baby just a while longer?