2 years passed in a flash!

I only took 136 pictures of Annie's birthday - Bob thinks I must have been sick! Either way it was a long and wonderful week - the kids started school and Annie turned two - pretty eventful!

Two years ago on Friday I went to the hospital for a scheduled c-section at 10 a.m. It had been a long pregnancy, considered extremely high risk due to my own health issues and the possibility that the baby might have some very major defects. We told very few people about all of the things that could happen but we had prayed for her safe arrival every day - 24 hours a day for months. The day we went into the hospital everything sort of hit us - and Bob and I realized after that we barely spoke on the way to the hospital - it was overwhelming to think of all that could go wrong and all that could go right - to know that in a few short hours we would meet Annie.

It took them many hours to get my IV started so we were very late for our scheduled delivery and there was a great deal of fuss made over the delay once we got into the operating room - there were alot of people on standby for me and the baby and they were not thrilled with wasting time without any patients. When Annie was finally delivered they let us see her quickly over the drapes and then whisked her away for all the speciailists to check her out. In less than 10 minutes she had an EKG, echocardiogram and blood panel done. Bob and I held our breath to get her in our arms and to our delight one of the nurses came over and whispered in my ear - "They've cleared her." I cried, sobbed and thanked her - Diana - the nurse who said the words that I had waited months and months and months to hear. Within minutes they wrapped Ann up and brought her to Bob - a miracle with not one of the defects that they anticipated and all of the spunk that we already knew she had from her intrautero playing! As we celebrated Annie and her birth on Friday I was struck by just how amazing she is and how quickly the miracle of her health and safe delivery were replaced by the everyday monontony of our lives. When did I stop putting my ear to her healthy beating heart and thank God for it's perfection? When did I stop looking into her eyes and remembering a time when I still didn't know what color they would be? I also realized that at one time I woke up and said a prayer for Bob and each of the kids - a short prayer for their day - their health, safety and the joy that they might find in that day - I stopped doing that when life got too busy! Of all the things that I could stop doing - that should be last on my list! So as we celebrated Annie's birthday this week I was reminded that my heart should remain grateful - for Annie, for Lizzie, Ellie, Bob, Peter and Molly - for the beautiful family we have and the way that each of them came into my life just as they were meant to - just as God intended them to. I am so blessed!

Uncle B loves getting a dose of Lizzie after work - he took her outside to play and she could not have been happier!Annie and uncle B dancing!Our shaggy dog - the hair is cute but.....well, shaggy!I want to gobble up those perfect little toes!Playing with Uncle B!What a cute pair!Molly playing with Lizzie!I love this picture - hugging!Lizzie loves her sister!Not a flattering look for Lizzie but she is a joyful little thing!The birthday girl wakes up at 5:30 a.m.Ellie is not all that amused that Annie gets all the presents!We let Ann wear an ugly Dora dress to bed - thank you Auntie Lisa, and she was very excited to see all of her presents!Annie finally gets to open her presents after the big kids our up and ready!Molly got Annie this little dress up outfit - what a princess!Right down to the shoes!We got outside early so the kids could see Annie get her big present - a playhouse for the yard!Picnic time!Serving dinner - she loves her house!Peter shot some hoops!And then our neatly dressed kids found an interesting use for the big box!It wouldn't be a birthday without a visit to see Grammy and Papa and let's get real - my dad was downright pathetic at the thought of not seeing Annie on her birthday. I figured the least I could do is bring her to see her favorite people on her birthday and it was worth the trip!There were presents and lunch and a trip over to the beach with papa!The birthday girl - our little angel!Annie and papa playing with her new phone that plays music.....endlessly.....like for four hours in the car, home and everywhere else!Papa and the girls!Annie putting on Auntie Mary's hat!My birthday beauty in Auntie Mary's hat!Grammy and Papa got some snuggles before we left. And, yes, my father pouted when I told him that the birthday girl had a playdate with Auntie Karla(her godmother) and had to come home with me - he wanted her to stay and play some more!Papa thought the kisses on his forehead were adorable!Kissing on Grammy!My wonderfully wild little birthday girl!So Annie had a playdate with Auntie Karla and the kids and THEN we went to Chuckee Cheese with all of the kids. Ellie loved all of the commotion!Lizzie was in her own little world until Uncle B showed up and got her all worked up with games and rides!Our big girl got her own drink - her most used phrase now is "I do it."Riding the horse!Did I mention that Abby also came to celebrate with us and KK and uncle B came and met us there - how awesome are the aunties and uncles?Uncle B and Lizzie!Annie and Abby riding the roller coaster.So - it was a long day and by the time we got home and in pajamas and lit the candles Annie had had it - she was all done with the birthday festivities!We blew out the candles and she managed to stop crying!And then she had a taste of ice cream and she was back!I love this picture - what lucky parents we are!I think this was Ellie's first taste of ice cream - but then again you never know with my father!KK and Ellie bonding! KK was awesome - she came over after a long week at her new job and helped with the kids, went ahead to Chuckee Cheese and got a table, stopped to get the cake with me on the way home and was just wonderful - she must have been exhausted when she got home but we all appreciated her hard work!Lizzie Bug - love the profile!I love how she waits by the door for someone to come along and liberate her - you would be shocked at how often it works!

Sleepy girl in her Daddy's arms. How can you go wrong - binky, Grammy blankie and Daddy!

We had a wonderful week and Annie had a great birthday - I can't imagine a world without Ann - she brings so much love and joy to our house. Happy Birthday to our big 2 year old - we are so happy and grateful that you were born!

I have to give a shout out to another "daughter" of sorts - my incredible goddaughter, Chelsea, who shares a birthday with Ann. Chelsea is back at college in New Orleans but she is also an amazing miracle in my life and that of her family and friends - she is bright, creative, kind and loving and I could not be prouder of her if she was mine (I used to walk around and pretend she was all the time). So Happy 19th Birthday, Rosebud! I love you!

GNM - ILY!