Birthday Number Four

My lil one turned four this past week. Four. Where does the time really go? Why does it have to fly by so fast? Her birthday made me pull out her baby pictures; it lead me to retell the story of her birth to family members; it reminded me of just how far she and I have come. I know I've spoken a bit about her, and for the most part, I've chosen to keep that part of my life pretty private, but I wanna let you know a bit about her...and our journey together.

She was days old and already stylin' with a faux mohawk...

My pregnancy was wonderful. I didn't spend my time complaining about how big I was getting, about how much my back hurt, about how I already wanted her out. To be honest, I loved being pregnant...feeling her kick and move was amazing. When it came time for her to join the world, there were no complications. I had felt contractions for a couple of days but when it came time for the big event, I didn't scream, cry, curse at her father, nothing like that...the epidural worked wonders. Seeing her for the first time, it was incredible...and I then realized that she was all mine and she was out. That's when the real fun started. 

she was (and still is) absolutely adorable

When she was months old, I couldn't wait for her to make noises and start crawling. When she started babbling and crawling, I couldn't wait for her to walk and talk. When she started walking and talking...I wanted time to go in reverse. It's now that I realize she was a very easy-going baby...and toddler-hood is a whole other ballgame. 

My daughter is awesome, as I'm sure most parents think their children are. She loves to dance, pose for pictures, play outside in the dirt, and her greatest fascination comes from following her grandfather around his yard.  She doesn't play with electronics, she doesn't wear brand name clothing, and she's not the type to expect a toy every time she goes to the store. I can't say she's the most well-behaved all the time, but compared to some of the children I've seen...my daughter is pretty calm.

A side note on single parenthood: A recent ex-bf of mine advised me to work on finding out who I was as a person. In all honestly, I didn't really know I was ever lost. He said I was 'living vicariously through my daughter.' After that comment, he became my ex. The fact of the matter is, my daughter is my main priority and it's hard to 'find myself' and care for her at the same time. Sure, whenever I'm able to steal a second for myself, I take it. But for the most part, my days are filled with whatever she needs or wants to do....that's just my reality. Of course, for someone who doesn't have children or where both parents are actively involved, his theory makes perfect sense. In practice, it wouldn't work for me.

So friendly at the beginning but the night ended tragically for Ms. Kitty

Anyways, my baby girl turned four and is growing up so freakin' fast. I'm glad to say that she has some pretty solid, stable people in her life. I may be weird, and perhaps a tad overprotective, but I don't introduce my daughter to everyone. I'm extremely picky when it comes to who she meets. The few friends that have met her have been in my life for a while and I trust them.

My main goal in life is to raise a happy, healthy, well-adjusted, smart little girl. And for the past two birthdays, I've managed to continually make her happy. It doesn't really take much to satisfy her. As long as she has a piñata to hit, it's a successful party. Her most cherished gifts this year were: some earrings, a teddy bear, a remote control dog, and a Play-Doh set. Remember, simplicity is a family tradition, and I need to start showing her now, even though in school that frame of thinking will probably go out the window. I've been thinking about her Christmas gifts already...I think she'd get a kick outta a Slinky....I need to check out whether they still sell those things...

Happy Birthday, Mija. Even though you might never read this, or one day when you're older and run into this long-forgotten post, know that your mother loves you dearly....and I didn't always look as old as I do now.

I was sure giving those pumpkins some competition....