Blowing Out More Candles!

Thirty-two years ago today (after 15 hours of labor) at 7:31 a.m., our baby girl came screaming into this big ole world. Life was exciting with you right from the start ~~ just before the time the doctor told me you would probably finally arrive, the labor room got very busy and the nurses forgot about me stuck behind the curtain until I finally got one of them to stop long enough to check me. They quickly wheeled me into the delivery room with the doctor flying in right behind us and after just one push, there you were.

Notice the sleeves on the green dress ~ you'll see that again ~ and you & your favorite yellow "blankie"

You know the rest of the hospital story but just to make sure your little ones will know . . .

The delivery nurse listed her as a he complete with a blue name card on the incubator. The mistake wasn't realized until a nurse from the pediatric clinic came in and announced, "Well, you have another little boy." WHAT? After calling the delivery doctor in to verify that I had indeed delivered a SHE, the little pink card went on before any of the family got to see you. But, I mean, did they not even look at you????? Glad I was awake for this birth!!!

Then . . . you were given the name Sarah (after my Granny) Michele; but, the day we were to come home from the hospital your sweet big brother decided you just couldn't be named that -- you had to be named "Miss Kitty" (from Gunsmoke) because he was "Matt Dillion." Tears . . . screams . . . the whole bit!! After all, before you were born, he told everyone he was having a baby named "Festus" so I guess Miss Kitty was better. But your daddy said "No" and we stayed another day in the hospital until we could have a name for the birth certificate. Finally, Danielle convinced him that Miss Kitty's real name was Amanda Blake so we had a name (except he never knew until much later that our Amanda's real name was Amanda Michele).

Your black hair never came out; it just kept getting lighter until one day you were a little strawberry blonde who loved to jabber . . . in fact, so much so that Aunt Mae nicknamed you "Little Mouth." The name stuck and, as you grew, you continued to live up to it. But we loved you so much anyway!! (LOL) You just made life exciting then and still do now.

Can't you just see the "little mess" you were in the picture on the right?

Notice the sleeves in that picture, too?

All the memories of you as a baby, toddler and first grader are being replayed through your precious little ones. One of them will say or do something and it's like it's 25 or 30 years ago all over. Everything about your looks changed so except your Granny's black eyes that each of your girls look like you at different stages. I know, you're thinking "But, they look so different from each other." True, but I still see you in each of them. It was so much fun being your Mommy and watching you grow. But, you grew up on us way too fast it seems ~~ it feels like I'm saying this alot lately ~~ but where did all those years go?? Are you really 32 with a husband, three beautiful girls, and a growing business? It seems like only yesterday you were wearing the little silver sequin costume the girls love to play dress up in now.

Thank you for letting me be the chaperone for all the spring break trips to the beach during high school. I'll never forget the long plane ride to London with cheerleaders from all over the United States. And dance competitions . . . And Junior Miss . . . And Georgettes . . . And Miss Georgia ~~ Whew!!!! . . . no wonder those years passed so quickly!!

We're so proud of the beautiful Godly woman you are today. And you make my head spin with all you do each day!!! As if being a mommy to three little ones isn't enough, you're The Monogram Monkey, too. We love you all the muches and wish you the best birthday ever!!

Happy 32nd Birthday, Monkey!!!

Tomorrow I'm playing a little "catch up" on birthdays so check back to see who's next. Could it be the one who probably most reminds me of her mommy right now . . . . . . . we'll see tomorrow!!