How Can This Be?

I keep asking myself this question today. It just can't be possible. How in the world could my youngest child, my baby, the last added blessing to our family be turning five tomorrow. No longer will she have to hide fingers when she shows her age. Now, when Nana calls, she can say "Hi(gh) Five!!". Now I have three "school-aged" children. Okay, okay, I know, I am very sentimental. But, it is so hard for me to believe it is here. When little Mariah was born, I thought I would never get another full nights sleep, never quit changing diapers, never quit searching for a pacifier. But, here I am, sleeping all night (unless I just feel the need to check on them and watch them sleep - they are so angelic), diapers have been GONE for a few years, and the pacifier left the family with the Sanipac Truck a couple years ago...


Oh, how we remember those first few weeks of her life. I wasn't allowed to lift anything heavier than my newborn babe. Did somebody forget to tell them that regardless of the fact that I had a c-section, I also had a 20 month old that still slept in a crib, a husband that worked 14 hours a day and was long gone before the 20 month old needed lifted out of her bed (and we are firm believers in "never wake a sleeping baby" especially if it is at 5:30am)? Good thing for a great 4 year old brother that helped me pull his little sister (seriously!) out of her crib each day...Good thing the 20 month old loved her bed enough to get in it when I told her it was nap time.


Then the school year started and we began our homeschooling career. I felt the need to be "super homeschool mom" of the year so I put Logan in a homeschool enrichment program - to make sure he was getting all the socialization he needed (I have sense thrown that philosophy right out the window, trust me...my children are not lacking in the social category!). That meant running around during the late morning hours taking Logan to Tae Kwon Do, art class and a geography class. All this while Mariah sweetly sucked her pacifier and held her blanky while seated in her car seat and Victoria sat on my lap (or any other mom's lap) with her thumb firmly planted in her mouth. While I felt like I was juggling many things that were much bigger than me.


Mariah was the most even-tempered baby I could ask for. Life was fine as long as she knew where I was...and I was always close by! Even despite her severe milk allergy and all its complications, an ugly, infected thing on her tear duct, and an inverted eyelid that caused her eyes to tear constantly (and eventually required surgery), she just went with the flow. She will be known for her floppy hat and sunglasses because this was the only way she could go outside without crying because her eye hurt!!


So, as I sit and reflect on how quickly five years can go by, I start to cry because I know the next five years will go just as fast - if not faster - and then she will be ten!! But, I am not going to go there today...

Today, I will enjoy having a four year old for the last time. And know that God knew we needed her and knew how much joy and happiness she would bring to our family. I will drool over her precious cheeks that I just want to suck on. I will remember the many, many nights we slept in the recliner together because I was too exhausted to get myself up to put us both to bed. I will cherish every moment when she wants to crawl in my lap and just cuddle. I will smile when I think of all the adults that adore her because of her many conversations she has started with them. I will listen to her sweet voice without getting impatient. I will watch her run off as fast as she can to keep up with her siblings and I will hold her tight when she comes running inside crying because they didn't wait for her....


Have a great day today Mariah....tomorrow you will be FIVE!!