Five

How is it possible that my little girl is about to be 5?  Five years ago she was a week overdue and my doctor said I couldn't go past the weekend due to low amniotic fluid so I had a scheduled induction.  Thankfully, I started consistent labor pains about 9pm night before the induction and we headed to the hospital at 5a.m...2 hours before I was supposed to arrive for the induction.  We were so clueless that when I said, I'm so glad I don't have to be induced and the nurse said, "oh yes you will be...there are doctor's orders," I didn't get up and smack her and tell her to call the doctor for a change in plans.  Oh well.  Matalley arrived perfect, albeit late, anyway.  If only I had known then that her lateness would be a personality trait as well...I might have scheduled the induction sooner:)

I also remember crying the night before as I put Grayson to sleep thinking it was the last time he would be an only child.  While I know he would have way more attention from me if he was the only one, he would so miss out on having a constant playmate, companion, confidant, and adoring follower.  I love that he refused to leave for school this morning without giving her a hug.  Does she know how lucky she is to have her siblings?

Matalley is a beautiful child, inquisitive, happy, in charge, go with the flow, deflector of negative thoughts.  Her defense mechanism is to change the subject.  Underneath it all she is sensitive but strong enough to handle the bad. Artistic, imaginative, playful, a tease, and always up for ice cream or cupcakes.  She likes to help me in the kitchen, mother Lola, and clean windows.  She has a talent for putting together a fashionable outfit the reflects her spunky personality.  She is chronically late and has a thing with shoes (multiple pairs a day and none of them put away) and doesn't like to wear pants that ride down or coats in the car.  She is dramatic and loud and she dislikes being called chin boo boo.  She is confident.  Just yesterday while singing Row, Row, Row Your Boat, I told her that instead of singing, "gently down the street," it made more sense to sing "gently down the stream."  She replied, "Mom, you can sing it how you want to, and I'll sing it how I want to. We can be different."  She likes games, swings, and puzzles; cucumbers, radishes, and broccoli; jumping, makeup, and dresses.  She is just what she should be and we love her.  Happy Birthday sweet pretty girl!