Finally, "a whole hand"

We have had a lot of excitement around here. Yesterday, my beloved second born had a birthday. Anlynn is finally a whole hand. I can't tell you how many times I heard her
say, "Well, since it's my birthday..." or "Well, I AM the birthday girl, so..." She used her special day for all it was worth! She said everything from, "since it's my birthday, can I have hot chocolate?" to "can you pull up my pajama pants? I AM the birthday girl, you know."


She had many wonderful phone calls from family and even some messages from facebook (c/o mommy's account!). She asked us several times throughout the day to sing her the Happy Birthday song. Her brother and sister were all to happy to oblige.


In the morning Anlynn helped me mix up her special gluten free cake. I decorated it while she was at preschool in the afternoon. I'll get around to loading the pictures of that tomorrow. She wanted a My Little Pony cake and I really wanted to make her a cool one. However, we had been out of town until 11:30pm the night before her birthday, and I knew I wasn't going to get around to making it the way I would have wanted. However, I made it in a flower shape and found a tiny My Little Pony
set that had a birthday theme to put on top. Not bad, and Anlynn was pleased with the result.


We told Anlynn we would take her anywhere she wanted for her birthday dinner. Guess where she chose?! Pizza Hut! Ugh, can you believe it! Of all the places...oh well, it wasn't MY birthday. So we took the clan to Pizza Hut for a birthday dinner. Then we headed to the big town for a special five year old present. I got my ears pierced on my fifth birthday. My sister got her's pierced on her fifth birthday. Amana got her ears pierced on her fifth birthday. In keeping with tradition, we offered to take Anlynn to get her ears pierced for her fifth birthday. In the weeks leading up to the big day, she was thrilled and couldn't wait. Then, the last day or 2 she started having some doubts. We talked about what would happen, and she decided she'd do it. She was a little nervous, but excited too. The first ear went great: no tears, no crying, nothing. But then she had to wait a little longer for the other ear to be pierced, and in that time her anticipation and fear grew. The tears welled up and fell down her sweet face. I held her hand, and when the clerk lined up the gun and asked Anlynn to tell her when she was ready, she bravely answered, "ready". As soon as she saw her pretty earrings in the mirror, her tears dried up. And when she found out she was going to be given a sucker, she was beaming.


We headed home for late-night presents and cake, and then my five year old was off to bed. My goodness, how the time flies. I've heard a quote that says something like, "The days pass slowly, but the years speed quickly." I think that is the theme song of Motherhood. Entrenched in the day-to-day, all-day business of raising children, the days do indeed seem long, even unending at times. But then you watch your daughter delight in finally being a whole hand, and you wonder how so much could happen while you blinked.


Happy birthday, Anlynn. You are a delight to my heart. You give me a run for my money, but you also steal my heart. You are a funny girl, and you have the happiest, most contagious laugh around. I love to see the compassion you have for those around you. You are my favorite blonde-headed daughter. I love you!