Time Flies....

So two and a half years ago, Byron and I welcomed our first child - Haylee Elizabeth. We had no clue what we were getting ourselves into, as most first time parents don't. Haylee was quite the baby....she never wanted to sleep; didn't finally sleep through the night until 9 months, she was a picky eater, and when she did eat, didn't eat that much. She is definitely a combination of her mom and dad - getting my sassiness with her dad's inability to just SIT! She got my eyes with her daddy's curly blond hair. She truly is the perfect blend of both Byron and I.

Over the last two and a half years, we have learned her quirks, moods, and what makes her tick....she is such a little spitfire of a girl. She has always been a smart little girl. You could tell as a baby that she was frustrated that she couldn't make her body crawl, and she started walking at 10 months. Byron and I are pretty sure that it isn't totally normal for a two year old to talk as much as she does, but the conversations that we have with her (refusing to wear underwear with our skirts or wearing a sweater in July when the temps are 90+ degrees!) are hilarious and amaze us everyday. It is hard to believe that in 5 short days our baby girl will be a big sister. She is so smart and is totally aware of us having a baby. She kisses my tummy, hugs the baby, asks when the baby can come out. She has said how she is going to teach the baby how to play bubbles, ride in her jeep, and go swimming.

Over the last several weeks, as I have gotten closer to our scheduled delivery date, I have looked at Haylee and have wanted to go back to when she was a baby. I feel like with your first child you are in survival brain (not only survival for your child in both the literal and figurative ways, but for yourself too). Everything is new to you the first go round, and some

times you don't stop to take the time to look at your baby; enjoying every second, and with the second baby, you are so much less paranoid. Byron and I have been going through our old pictures and seeing Haylee as a baby and then as she gets older; taking her first bites of spinach, sitting in the grass for the first time, carving pumpkins with daddy, smelling the flowers. I sometimes feel like I should have taken more time to play with Haylee when she was our only child. I feel like I should have stopped and enjoyed those moments of the three of us playing in the backyard. I look at her now, when she plays by herself with her baby doll and stroller and think, wow...that is our little girl...that is my baby, and she is so big now.

I know that she is going to be a wonderful big sister, and for this new baby, hold on tight little one, because your big sister is going to keep you on your toes and not let you sit for a minute! I am so proud of our little girl; I hope that Byron and I can raise our next child the same way and have two well balanced, fun loving children.