I will tell you where they went....they went to taking care of a precious little newborn who refused to sleep unless she was laying on top of her mommy or her daddy every night for the first 6 weeks. They went to the baby who made us stand up and bounce her for hours every day, and bounce her in the bouncy seat many, many nights while we were half asleep in bed. They went to the baby who started screaming bloody murder while she was on her play mat in the family room while I was cooking dinner, scaring me, and me running into the room to find out the only reason she was screaming was because she was pulling her own hair, and to the baby who, when I told her she was a princess, stretched and put up both of her middle fingers at me. This was also the same baby who lived in the Snugli on my chest for the first 3 months of her life! Every day when I had to clean or do laundry, she wouldn't let me put her down so I strapped her in the Snugli and went to work! The years went to the 3 month old who went on a hunger strike when Mommy went back to work, refusing to eat anything all day long unless Mommy nursed her...to the point where Mom Mom would have to drive from Holly Springs to Alpharetta every day at planning so I could feed her, and to the baby who refused to eat any kind of baby food. That baby turned into a toddler who got in to everything, full of personality and delight, and she was the center of our world, even upsetting Mommy at the playground when the big kids weren't being nice. She, of course, was oblivious to it all, standing there with her Elmo sippy cup and animal crackers, but I wasn't (and you don't mess with my babies! Mommy took care of that situation!!) The years went with millions of hugs and kisses, and when that toddler became a big sister, she really came into her own, and her baby sister is the luckiest girl I know to have a big sister like her. These 5 years went to play groups and tumble tots, tea parties, dress up, baby dolls (many, many, MANY baby dolls!!) softball, swimming, playing games and lots and lots of snuggles at night. Now she is 5 years old, in school, and she is our pride and joy. Melanie makes us laugh, and cry, and get furiously mad, and I wouldn't trade any second of the last 5 years for anything in the world. Melanie is an amazing little girl, and even though I will miss her being little, I can't wait to see the incredible person she is already becoming! We are the most blessed parents ever with our two precious little girls, and Melanie has set the bar super high!
Now that I have written my peace, I wanted to do a run down of her special day! She woke up all excited and got dressed in her Eiffel Tower shirt and vest, and sparkle pants. I dropped her off at school, and Meredith and I went up later and brought her class some Fruity Pebble treats, and we got to sing Happy Birthday with her class. We picked her up early and met Daddy for lunch at Papasito's, where Melanie got her strawberry margarita, and the waiters and waitresses came out and sang to her while she had to wear a sombrero (she was NOT happy with Daddy for letting the waitress know it was her birthday!)
We came home and relaxed for a bit, and then the Wesley clan made their way over for the celebration. We ate meatloaf and green beans (at the birthday girl's request) and then opened presents, then headed to the pool, Melanie's favorite place in the world! We sang and at cake up there, and then went home, where the birthday girl started to get upset because her birthday was almost over, and that meant it was almost baby Jesus' birthday, and that meant winter and the pool would be closing. Poor kid, she is so sweet!!
We did her birthday celebration with the Reins the Saturday before, by going to Stone Mountain for the laser show! And then the Friday after her birthday, we got to celebrate at the pool for a "Pink Poodle in Paris Pool Party" with all of Melanie's neighborhood friends. At the end of the night, Melanie looked at me and said, "Thank you Mommy, for making my birthday so special!" I started to cry....what 5 year old thanks their mommy for their birthday? She is one super special kid, and I am so glad she is ours!
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