J Cooper Photography

Nine years ago this little one entered into the world.  Too early, tiny and a little bit blue…and not breathing on her own.  It was a scary thrust into parenthood.  Lonely nights in the hospital without an infant in my arms.  She laid down the hall with an IV in her head and a thousand machines beeping and monitoring and scaring the life out of me.  But it turned out to be just a bad case of pneumonia and soon enough she was in our arms with healthy, wailing lungs and we settled into life as parents.

Thank you, Anna.  For the gift of parenthood.  You taught me what it is to be a mom.  And I loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you.

You are an amazing kid.  Talking from sun up to sun down…you are full of life like no other child I have ever met.  Somedays the talking just plain wears me out but your excitement for life is always contagious.  You know how to have a great time and you are an amazing friend.  You are a little mommy and always looking out for your siblings.  You are crazy smart.  You are full of useless facts.  You love animals and animals love you.  Someday you are going to discover a new species when you are a marine biologist living in North Carolina.  You’ll have a little lime green house on the beach…full of cats…and you’ll pour over books late into the night while you eat cartons full of blueberries.  You’ll be dressed from head to toe in mismatched clothing and you’ll call me on the phone to tell me your latest joke.

You have a compassionate heart and are quick to tears.  You love completely.  You are insanely creative.  You have the craziest teeth right now but somehow they seem to suit you just fine.  You run like Phoebe (but darn you are fast).  You work hard.  You play much harder and I love you more than I ever thought possible.

9 years ago you made me a mom.  9 years ago I fell head over heals in love.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY little Brainiac!

When things settle down a bit we will go for our annual photo shoot (you know you are thrilled!)