Happy Birthday Karson!!!

***Update - Thanks Lauren, for helping me figure out how to change the date! Also, I've added pictures of the birthday fiesta!

Dear Karson,

5 years ago today, at 1:03 pm, you took your first breath in this world. And I became a mommy. Oh my goodness what a special day! I still remember seeing you for the very 1st time and bursting into tears because I already loved you so much. You have been a blessing from the moment you arrived, and it is so hard for me to believe that you are already 5! The years have gone by so fast, and yet there are so many things that are already foggy in my memory. This, I do know...you have made me a better person.

You were a very easy baby. You slept through the night when you were 7 weeks old. You didn't spit up very much. You hardly ever cried. You were a happy baby. The only real "issue" we had was that you entered the stranger anxiety phase with a bang. It was hard to leave you in the nursery because you always cried. They always told us that you got over it quickly - thank goodness. Other than that, you were a 100% perfect baby - not that I'm biased or anything.

Now, I must say, that for the most part you have been a very easy child to raise... except when it came to POTTY TRAINING. Oh my goodness! Girlie, you nearly put me in the loony bin! We tried everything we knew to do. You just wouldn't do it. Your big trick was to "hold it" all day. By all day, I mean ALL DAY! We told you not to go pee pee in your big girl panties, so you didn't...but you wouldn't go on the potty either! It was a very drama filled time. I just knew you were going to start school in a diaper! Eventually, you decided to cooperate, and once you did it, we had 2 accidents. Isn't that amazing that I know how many accidents you had? Truly, 2!

We've also had our set of scares with you. About a week after your 3rd birthday was when we found the lumps under your chin and began the process of finding out what was wrong (microbacterial infection of the lymph nodes). You had 2 surgeries (one on November and one in April) to remove them. After that you stayed on some REALLY yucky antibiotics (3x a day) for over 4 months. You were such a trooper through it all, and never complained. I am still so thankful for all of the wonderful doctors that led us through that scary time. I'm even more thankful, looking back, that it was nothing more major than it was.

I worry about you, my sweet girl. You have done such a great job of starting school and being so brave this year. But you are still so painfully shy. Sometime it hurts my heart to watch you have to try new things. It makes you completely nervous and scared - to the point of tears many times. You are such a silly, crazy girl at home. I so wish that others could see this side of you. I feel that so many people that have met you are robbed from knowing the "real" you. I'm so proud of you and how hard you try to overcome your fears. I know it will only get better with time. Please know that you are constantly in my prayers. God will protect you and guide you. You need not be afraid.

Your 4th year of life has brought so many changes. You became a big sister, you started dance, and, you started big girl school...just to name a few. You have handled all of this amazingly well. Each day seems to bring something new for which I have to be proud. I depend on you much more than you probably realize. You truly are my helper at home and at preschool. I couldn't do it without you, and I never want to try!

It's hard to imagine that someone could love you more than I do. Oh, but baby girl, there is someone. Jesus loves you more than I could ever comprehend. I want so much for you to know Him in your heart. I want to share more of Him with you and teach you more about Him. My prayer for you this year is that you would come to know Him more. This will always be my prayer for you. That is the greatest gift I could ever give you.

Happy Birthday, my sweet girl. I love you more than you'll ever know. Thank you for blessing my life every day. You are truly one of my life's GREATEST gifts.

I love you so much,
Mommy

For the "big 5" birthday party, we went to see High School Musical 3! Such fun! (Excuse the photography/editing skills - my picture WILL NOT rotate!)

Mommy wasn't all that sad that help was still needed for reading birthday cards!

Here's a pic of Daddy and Karson trying out one of her new presents...an Easy Bake Oven!

Being born around Halloween has its perks! Today was pajama day at preschool. Since Kars comes with me in the mornings, both girls got to sport their MATCHING (I know you're shocked) jammies! Cams wasn't much in the mood for a photo shoot after school.