officially leaving toddlerhood behind

The date that was stuck in my brain for over nine months, the date that became a comforting sort of mantra as my ankles swelled and my body ached, and I longed to be free from the life of the final weeks of a pregnancy: May 4, 2006. It was a Thursday, and my parents were flying down to spend a week with us on Saturday, so it all seemed to be timed just perfectly. Little did I know that our first few days of visiting would mostly involve everyone looking at me with hopeful expectation each time that I winced from the damn fake contractions that would come and go as they pleased. "Nope, nothing yet" were words that I came to loathe. But, as the fates would have it, I was awakened by the unmistakable "joys" of labor early Monday morning, and May 8, 2006 suddenly became the date that would be embedded in my life. Our family became a foursome, and the newcomer instantaneously earned her nickname, Red.

Red taking delight in being able to finally stretch out, a few hours after being born.

The past three years have been surprising (well, hello there, Pudge... we weren't so much expecting you!), and you've become the infamous Middle Child, which will be an interesting experience for us all, I imagine. You've got personality oozing out of your pores, perhaps multiple personalities, but we'll just have to hope for the best now, hmm? You can flash one helluva wicked look my way when you're incensed, and then you can turn on a dime and display your dazzling grin with your head cocked to the side just so, charming everyone in a three block radius. You are one of a kind, that is for sure. (Thank GOD!) Just the other day, you turned to me and said, "Mommy, I like you. I just like you so much." Well, Red, I like you, too. A whole great big bunch.

Happiest of birthdays to you, you wacky three year old!!

Enjoying this Mother's Day weekend (yes, we deserve a whole weekend!),