Eleanor's 4th Birthday!

"She laid on my chest and her breathing filled me to almost beyond what I could hold."
-Story People quote

Today was Eleanor's 4th birthday. I wrapped her gifts up for her the night before, and set them out in the living room for her to find. Jimi hung up the banner of colored paper flags that I made, spelling out "Happy Birthday Eleanor!" We were all so excited for her special day to arrive. She couldn't wait to see what treasures she would find that day. Surely there would be some big changes that day, she thought. Perhaps she would grow overnight, or her voice would change? This magical age of 4. :)

I woke up early, beside myself with excitement. I decided to get up and wait patiently for Eleanor and Jimi to wake up. An hour passed and I couldn't wait anymore. Crawling next to her sweet, sleeping body I whispered, "Happy Birthday my sweet girl". (I have called her Sweet Girl since she was first born. My father in law used to tell me that I wouldn't always think she was such a sweet girl. Boy, was he ever wrong!) She opened her eyes, and told me it was so hard to be patient. She wished she could open her gifts. I told her all she had to do was wake up and she could open them! She was wide awake then!

She opened her gifts smallest to biggest. New lip gloss, the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movie, a new swimsuit. Then the bigger gifts. A bike helmet, a magic set, and a guitar just like Daddy's! It came with picks and a strap that was "just her size". She loved it! She was so excited and thankful for each thing. She has been saying that she wants a ring like Mama and Daddy so that "we can all be married". So I found some adjustable toe rings that would fit her little fingers, and she was so happy to have a ring of her own. She wore one all day.





Eleanor and Jimi played guitar together, we did some magic tricks, then we headed off for Florence for the afternoon. We stopped for lunch when we got there, but she was too excited to eat anything. We went to the dunes and set up our blanket. She was off to find treasures and roll down the sand hills, squealing. She played her sandwich maker game and made some sand castles with Daddy. Then she played tag with the waves. After a few hours, we set off for home. She passed out and slept with mouth agape the whole ride home. :)











I made her cake when we got home, and Jimi's parents came over. Grandma and Grandpa got her a fishing pole! She went outside and practiced fishing with Grandpa. I don't know which one of them had more fun out there! We visited for awhile, then had cake. We all sang her Happy Birthday and she made her wish. (Mama hopes all of your wishes come true my sweet, sweet girl!) She assured me that there would be no fighting at bedtime tonight. I asked if that was because she was 4 now, and she said yes. What a sweet treat for me! I had no clue this was a perk of having a 4 year old. LOL The grandparents left and we started getting ready for bed. I could hear her struggling through the wall and chuckled at her earlier assurance of the "easy bedtime". Jimi knocked on the wall for me to come in. She was crying that she wanted to "lay with mama tonight, because I love her so much". Who could say no to that? I gladly put my arm around my sweet girl and she whispered in the dark about her day to me. She told me she loved me, and then drifted off to sleep.

She is a dream realized. I had absolutely so idea how much I would love her and what that meant 4 years ago when she came into this world. I am still in awe of her. She is so sweet and yet so full of fire sometimes. She takes from my cup everyday, yet it runneth over by the end of the day. There are times I feel as though I couldn't adore her anymore, and then a new day comes and I find my heart has grown for her. I wonder who she will become as she grows up, how she will love, what will excite her. She remembers a few of our losses and is beyond thrilled to have a new baby sister on the way. I am so, so thankful for the gift of Eleanor and for the gift that is this new baby. I know that once again I will feel as though my heart couldn't be any fuller, and then I will find that it has doubled and tripled.

Happy Birthday Eleanor, my sweet girl. Thank you for 4 years of delightful days!

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach
-Elizabeth Barrett Browning