It always sneaks up....

In little ways every day I see my baby grow. I see how her mind is working, changing, growing, filling full of useful knowledge. I see her pants start to get shorter and her dresses become shirts. I witness the quick thinking of a growing sassafras and think, wow! Look at this little girl getting so big. I witness all of these things yet, I don't let them sink in. And then it happens, we are on the eve of another birthday. Four this time. FOUR! Where did the time go? With her birthday tomorrow I actually have to let it sink in. All those things I've been witnessing. Yeah my baby is getting older.

4 years ago at this time I was in hour 47 o labor. Only 10 more hours left until my sweet baby girl would enter this world and instantly make it a better place, a more magical place, a brighter place. Gosh darn do I love that little girl. She's completely got me head over heels in love. I love we to the moon and back.

I sat reading to her tonight. All snuggles in on my lap. I can't believe it was the last night I would read to my three year old. Tomorrow it will be my four year old. As she looked at me with her huge gorgeous sparkling eyes and said "when I'm four will you still pick me up and hold me?" I near about lost it. Yes baby girl. I'll always pick you up and hold you. Even when you're 44!

Now with bittersweet tears I'm off to hang up the surprise birthday decorations and spend the rest of the night walking down memory lane. There will be lots of picture flipping and smiles of that I'm sure.