Today this little girl turns 6.  She has been waiting forever for her birthday.

I love all my girls equally, but this little girl makes me smile somewhere deep inside.  She has such a little spirit and you cannot help but smile when you see her.

She is my little blond bomber, sweet pea, and bam bam all rolled in one.

She has started to turn into a young lady, and not the holy terror she used to be.

I used to call her the devil’s spawn.  Terrible I know, but this little girl used to drive me nuts.

May I refer you to this, and this post.

Well, I knew the day would come that she would over come her little terror ways, but I am here to say that they rear their ugly head every now and then.  She has to keep her mama on her toes.

Since I spoke about her big sisters birth story when she recently had her birthday, I would like to discuss Abby’s.

Now, when you have one premature child, you live with this underlying fear that you will have another.  You try not to worry, but you are human and you do.  Since the first was 6 weeks early, my OBGYN wanted to see me on a weekly basis.  That’s right, I went to the doctor every week for 10 months.  After awhile, I no longer had to make an appointment, I would just walk in.  I was like Norm on Cheers.  Except I had to pee in a cup and they would not give me a beer.

Anywhoo, here’s the story.  I am going to tell this story in bullet form, because I like bullets.

• I found out I was pregnant with you on Valentines Day 2005.  It took me four months to get pregnant with your sister, so I stopped the pill in January thinking it would be April till I conceived.  Well, fertile Mertle here got pregnant the next week.
• At ten weeks while I was driving home from work, the name Abby Reese popped into my head.  I just knew that was what I was supposed to name you.  I had to check with your daddy first because, you know, he did help in making you.
• He did not like the name, and said Abby was the name of a dog.  Well, I just left it alone because I had awhile till you were born.  I did win!
• We lived in our first house, and I got to really decorate a girl’s room.
• It was pink and green with black bumblebees.
• Your Nini helped me paint.
• My sisters threw me a baby shower, and all my friends from work came.
• I miss that group of girls.
• My pregnancy with you went well.  It was nothing like your sisters, so I was pretty sure you would stay in till your due date.
• Two weeks before you were due, I had yet another weekly appointment, and the doctor told me I was in labor,  I was like “WHAT?”
• He said I was having contractions, and that I was 2 cm dilated.  I could feel nothing, but he’s the doctor.  He told me to go home and rest and that I would probably have the baby that night, or in the early morning hours.
• I called and told work, and went home.
• I asked the doctor if I could finish out the week of work, in case it was a false alarm, and he said no.
• I explained that I worked at the hospital where I delivered, and he still said no.
• I told him then he would have to write a letter to the short term disability people so I could get an extra week at 100%.
• I had my maternity leave and pay already set up.
• I called my mom, and her and my dad were on their way.
• Well, that night went by, as did nine others.  My dad went home, and my mom stayed with me.
• We walked, shopped, shopped some more.  I love shopping, especially when someone else in buying.
• It was time for the follow up appointment.  It was five days till my due date, and I was ready to have this baby.
• He stripped my membranes, DO NOT EVER LET YOUR OBGYN DO THIS, and was sent on my merry way.
• The next day I was in labor, and had you at 1012 am.
• When I arrived at the hospital the L&D was full and I had to wait in pre-op holding.  I was already 5 cm, and my doc was telling the nurse to get me to a room fast.
• I did have time for an epidural, and since I had one premature baby, there were about 15 other people in the room.
• I even let some nursing students watch.
• I am a nurse, and I think everyone should see a baby born.
• It is the most wonderful, beautiful, and amazing thing ever.
• It is something that only God could have created.
• And now you are here.

You have my spunk, you have my mouth, you are a firecracker like your mama.

You are your daddy’s little girl.

You like to be called Sweet Pea!

You love to sing!

Your favorite song to sing right now is this.

I love that about you!

Happy Birthday Abby!

Momma loves you!