Happy 3rd Birthday Meridian

Dear Meridian,

Somehow I never thought this day would come. I mean I remember your older sister turning three, but when did you, my “baby” get to be this big? Sometimes I like to think back to when you were in my tummy. You hung out in my ribs a lot and made it hard for me to breathe. You rolled and kicked, moved and turned so much. Sometimes for fun, you like to try and pretend you are still in my tummy. That makes me laugh!

I don’t know how you do it, but somehow you always manage to make me laugh. Your cute little toothy smile, your scratchy, deep, Meridian voice, the way your eyes sparkle when you are off in your own world. I hope you never lose that zest for life baby. I pray that you would continue to see the world through those bright glasses and to change the world with that positive outlook on life.

Always making us all laugh!

Sometimes you try to be stumpy and stubborn and you often succeed. You mostly do that by telling us you can do everything yourself or demanding that you get a certain thing or your way. I know I’m not supposed to laugh but sometimes it is hilarious to hear your scratchy voice saying, “No, I only want to do it my way!”

For all that stubbornness, you sure do love to snuggle both mama and daddy. Your favorite is of course crawling into bed in the morning and nursing quietly as we sometimes both drift back to sleep. I love those times the most. The times when you aren’t demanding the world do things your way, rather you squeeze up against me and we snuggle and nurse. Something I never thought we would make it to a year on, and yet here we are finished with year three and you are not ready to quit quite yet, even though mama is feeling more than ready.

Meridian and I on Mother's Day

This morning, you woke up at 5 a.m. because there was a big thunderstorm. You crawled into bed with me, put your hands up over your ears and snuggled as close to me as possible. I stayed awake praying for you, and thinking back about 5 in the morning three years ago and about how fast your birth went. At 5:56, I quietly whispered “Happy Birthday” over you and then we both drifted back to sleep. When I woke up at around 8 a.m. and you were still sleeping, I looked over at you and realized once again how cute you are; tiny, petite, blonde curly hair, and a bundle of joy. You opened your eyes and told me, “Mom, I’m three; you need to sing me Happy Birthday.” So I did just that because I realize there aren’t too many more days like this with you and soon, all too soon, you will be grown up.

Days like today, it hits me that you most likely are our last baby that ever got to be in my tummy. For the first time, it really saddens me. Not because I miss being pregnant, but because there is something really special about having a baby inside and knowing that I am part of that life giving process. Knowing that you were that baby and that today you are three, makes me sad because life goes all too fast.

She's three!

I love you Meridian and pray that today and this next year would be amazing!

Love,

Mama