Day late and a dollar short

So...I meant to blog on Tuesday but the day got away from me.

On Tuesday, my second daughter turned ten...TEN!  She turned the big double digits and she is growing into an amazing young lady. When Brittan was born she was so different from Haven. She didn't cry much as a newborn, and she always seemed timid.  As she grew we found that she liked her space, even as a little baby, and she would happily sit for hours observing us and smiling when we looked her way...but if we got too close, or pulled her into the craziness that was Haven at age two, poor little Britt would lose it.  She was a beautiful baby, she looked like a little doll, and she would sit in the cart at the store and just smile at everyone around her, so long as they kept their distance.  As the years went on, Brittan grew and changed and found her voice.  She is no longer timid, although one of our more quiet children, and she is far from shy.  She excels at school and sports and loves to run of all things!  She is a mother hen to the babies-competent, genuine, loving and sweet.  She is bossy to Haven and Grayson and I see a lot of my desire for perfection and things being just so in her.  She is tender hearted, and feels deeply and can have such empathy for those around her.

We are a dynamic bunch-loud, opinionated and passionate and for awhile I worried that our quiet, sweet, petite little girl would struggle to find her place.  Well, I didn't need to worry, she has her place.  Now at ten, she is a force in our home, a quiet storm of sorts, and not only do I rely on her to toe the line and be a team player, but her siblings rely on her to help them stay on track (although they may complain she "helps" too much!).  She is going to be a great woman, an amazing mother and she wants to be a teacher when she grows up.  She adores little ones, her siblings and every other small child we come across, and she has a way of working with them and talking to them that makes all the little ones just love her.  She is responsible, silly, kind, loyal and full of joy.  She is the balance to the intensity that is her older sister, and she is a child who is always surprising us at every turn.

Happy 10th birthday Brittan Elizabeth.  You were named for the four great grandmothers and I see all of their best qualities in you every day.  We love you more than anything, and we are thankful every day that your sweet soul is ours to care for.  I am so excited to see you grow!

My littlest girl

It has been quite a while since I blogged, that happens when you have a house full of children, very busy jobs and a husband's job schedule that is changing and demanding.  Today, however, is one day that I must blog, because today is Teagan's 3rd birthday!

We had a big break between kids after Grayson.  My oldest three are a neat and tidy two years apart each, and then it took nearly five more years for us to have our fourth child, our sweet and sassy little Teagan Jayne.  The pregnancy with her was really tough and included preterm labor, meds that completely messed with my already wonky heart and numerous cardiology visits to check on her little heart that was beating erratically.  It was a long pregnancy, scary at times, and when we neared 37 weeks my doctor decided it was best for all involved to have her.  We had an amnio as I turned 37 weeks and found out the next day her little lungs were ready to go, so we scheduled her to be born on Wednesday July 15th.  Actually, my doc wanted to wait a few extra days and have her on Friday, but that was my second daughter's birthday and I could not make them share a birthday if there was a way to avoid it.  Looking back, I was so worried about Brittan having to share her week with Teagan, but instead she relishes the special bond that it brings, and they have such a sweet relationship, I am happy that they can share their birthday week.

So today marks three years since that little 7 lb 6 oz bundle came into our world.  She is the fourth child, but the firsts in many ways-the first with a dimple and the first with her Daddy's curls and our smallest baby. Teagan changed us, changed our family and our world and all for the better.  We never knew what we were missing until she came along.  At three she is hysterical.  She loves to laugh and is super happy and smiley-unless you get on her bad side and then she lets you know!  She is so very smart, loves to learn and is creative and inventive.  She loves her siblings and calls them all her "friends" and she has a really special bond with her baby brother. She is so spunky, loud and silly, amazing and fun, loving and kind.  Happy Birthday my Joopy Jayne and Daddy's Tigger, we love you so very much!