Hey, Baby!

Six years ago today, at 9:32 p.m., I became a mother.

Two days of inducing, medication, and an epidural granted me the ability to laugh, cry, be angry with - and be completely lost without - an eight pound, 21 and 1/2 inch girlie-girl.


She is my inspiration.

She is my protector.

She is my fierce champion, my righter of wrongs.

She is my cheerleader, my artist, my feeder of strays.

She is my vacuumer, my sweeper, my over all cleaner-upper.

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Things I love about Nooze

1. I love that when I was at my worst, she was at her strongest. She would tell complete strangers "My momma has psoriasis. You CAN'T catch it". She was two at the time.

2. I love that she has the ability to house 3 imaginary siblings, an alien, and a school teacher in her closet. They are all well fed.

3. I love that she refers to an Ambulance as a "hospital truck".

4. I love that she hugs the dogs, and covers them with blankets when they are sick.

5. I love that she flirts with big, scary bikers, yet fears men wearing suits.

6. I love that she felt bad when a boy in her class cried - because he missed his mom. When he changed classes, she was sad. All she would say was "I wish he could have stayed. I liked him. He was kind". (The boy was transferred to a Special Needs class; he has CP).

7. I love that she brings me only the bud of a flower; the stem stays firmly planted in the ground.

8. I love that she is always writing, and was called to the Principal's office because she read a book all by herself. (She was given a sticker!)

9. I love that she refers to our Associate Pastor as "The Sidekick".

10. I love that she always seeks out the underdog. She can not stand for another to be left out.

Happy Sixth Birthday, Nooze. You are exactly what I never knew I always wanted*.

I love you.


*This is a movie line, but I don't recall the source.