Soooo...she did it, too! Just like those other little Wild Wells kids...she turned ONE last Sunday. And yes...I became "one of those" moms. I cried. (I just keep living out all these silly momma cliches :). In honor of our sweet #4, here's a story about her first year or so...
Dear Mollie,
I vividly remember that talk with God on a cold February morning run. I was in tears and totally surrendering my will over to Him. For some crazy reason that I cannot explain, I had wanted a 4th baby so bad, but finally accepted that if it was God's plan for us to hold still as a family of 5, then we were perfect the way we were. Your daddy had a little health scare just a couple months earlier, and we had been blessed with 3 perfectly healthy little ones...why press our luck? Our lives were challenging enough in crazy Northern Virginia with your daddy's work schedule, right? So after that prayer, I still felt like a little something was missing, but I was at complete peace and started sorting through baby clothes & paraphenalia to prep them for donations.
A couple weeks later...the day after Evie's 1st birthday...BOOM! I knew it!! I had a feeling...a feeling of shock...I'll never forget your daddy's face when I told him what I suspected. We honestly couldn't figure out how (OK...so we know HOW, but can't figure out...well, nevermind!!) The first 2 tests said negative, but I knew they were wrong (occasionally, I'm right about a few things...remember that when you're a teenager!)
A NOVEMBER BABY??? How does that work? Your 3 siblings were all born in March! Chaos is the norm for our crew, so it should be no surprise that the day of your delivery was decided a mere 24 hrs in advance on the phone with our doc...while in the Costco bathroom :). We wanted to be sure Dr. Forrest would be able to deliver you (just like our other 3 babies), and no one wanted me having a "Beltway Baby" on 495...so we decided you would come a week early...plus, everyone expected you to be huge like your siblings! Surprise again! We were actually capable of producing a "normal" size newborn...only 7 lb. 9 oz. (unlike your siblings who were 8 1/2, 9, & 10+ lbs!). From the beginning, you have looked exactly like your big bro, and your personality is a mix of both big sisters...yet you continue to surprise us in ways the other 3 never did! :)
Our lives have been a little crazy the last 12 months...appropriately, you were born just before Thanksgiving, blessing our family with 4 children in 5.5 years (the day we came home from the hospital, we went to big sis Anna's Kindergarten music program); we immediately slammed into the mad dash of the Christmas season shopping, partying, decorating, etc.; we made our regular (little did we know our FINAL) Holiday trip home to KY...10 days, 30+ hrs of driving, 8 family/friend gatherings...and you were 6 wks old; we returned to VA on Jan 2nd, and your daddy left on Jan 4th for a 2 month TDY to Saudi Arabia. Our church friends loved on and supported us like family (as always) in his absence, and God returned him safely to us the day before Evie's 2nd bday to begin our March Madness of 4 family bdays that month. You never missed a beat, smiling & laughing at him like he'd never left! You were quite a trooper tagging along with me to work meetings and the office (until you were big enough to hang out at Mrs. Christine's with the big kids :). Our spring & summer were filled with the regular busy fun...until August when we got the official word that we'd be moving back to KY, so the next 2 months were packed with getting the house on the market and searching for a new house in KY (another 10 day trip with you hanging in there for visits to about 30 potential homes). We enjoyed several final gatherings with friends as dear as family...and before you even hit 11 months, we were on our way to a new-to-you state and lived in a hotel for 2.5 weeks before moving into our new home! What a year!! :) And although you're our "final"...you got to experience a "first": the first of our kids with a family birthday party (for more than just the grandmas)! You may not have been too thrilled with the cake (you CRIED when you got some on your fingers), but we had so much fun watching your cousins play and spending time with extended family...something we will never again take for granted!
God knew we needed a surprise blessing far more than we did...your sweet, sassy spirit keeps us on our toes, and while the tears keep falling when I think of our baby growing up, I just can't wait to see how you will surprise us next. May our Father make His path clear to you and show us how to encourage you along the way!
Smooches, Snuggles, and Giggles,
Momma
Some shots of your special day...
Dear Mollie,
I vividly remember that talk with God on a cold February morning run. I was in tears and totally surrendering my will over to Him. For some crazy reason that I cannot explain, I had wanted a 4th baby so bad, but finally accepted that if it was God's plan for us to hold still as a family of 5, then we were perfect the way we were. Your daddy had a little health scare just a couple months earlier, and we had been blessed with 3 perfectly healthy little ones...why press our luck? Our lives were challenging enough in crazy Northern Virginia with your daddy's work schedule, right? So after that prayer, I still felt like a little something was missing, but I was at complete peace and started sorting through baby clothes & paraphenalia to prep them for donations.
A couple weeks later...the day after Evie's 1st birthday...BOOM! I knew it!! I had a feeling...a feeling of shock...I'll never forget your daddy's face when I told him what I suspected. We honestly couldn't figure out how (OK...so we know HOW, but can't figure out...well, nevermind!!) The first 2 tests said negative, but I knew they were wrong (occasionally, I'm right about a few things...remember that when you're a teenager!)
A NOVEMBER BABY??? How does that work? Your 3 siblings were all born in March! Chaos is the norm for our crew, so it should be no surprise that the day of your delivery was decided a mere 24 hrs in advance on the phone with our doc...while in the Costco bathroom :). We wanted to be sure Dr. Forrest would be able to deliver you (just like our other 3 babies), and no one wanted me having a "Beltway Baby" on 495...so we decided you would come a week early...plus, everyone expected you to be huge like your siblings! Surprise again! We were actually capable of producing a "normal" size newborn...only 7 lb. 9 oz. (unlike your siblings who were 8 1/2, 9, & 10+ lbs!). From the beginning, you have looked exactly like your big bro, and your personality is a mix of both big sisters...yet you continue to surprise us in ways the other 3 never did! :)
Our lives have been a little crazy the last 12 months...appropriately, you were born just before Thanksgiving, blessing our family with 4 children in 5.5 years (the day we came home from the hospital, we went to big sis Anna's Kindergarten music program); we immediately slammed into the mad dash of the Christmas season shopping, partying, decorating, etc.; we made our regular (little did we know our FINAL) Holiday trip home to KY...10 days, 30+ hrs of driving, 8 family/friend gatherings...and you were 6 wks old; we returned to VA on Jan 2nd, and your daddy left on Jan 4th for a 2 month TDY to Saudi Arabia. Our church friends loved on and supported us like family (as always) in his absence, and God returned him safely to us the day before Evie's 2nd bday to begin our March Madness of 4 family bdays that month. You never missed a beat, smiling & laughing at him like he'd never left! You were quite a trooper tagging along with me to work meetings and the office (until you were big enough to hang out at Mrs. Christine's with the big kids :). Our spring & summer were filled with the regular busy fun...until August when we got the official word that we'd be moving back to KY, so the next 2 months were packed with getting the house on the market and searching for a new house in KY (another 10 day trip with you hanging in there for visits to about 30 potential homes). We enjoyed several final gatherings with friends as dear as family...and before you even hit 11 months, we were on our way to a new-to-you state and lived in a hotel for 2.5 weeks before moving into our new home! What a year!! :) And although you're our "final"...you got to experience a "first": the first of our kids with a family birthday party (for more than just the grandmas)! You may not have been too thrilled with the cake (you CRIED when you got some on your fingers), but we had so much fun watching your cousins play and spending time with extended family...something we will never again take for granted!
God knew we needed a surprise blessing far more than we did...your sweet, sassy spirit keeps us on our toes, and while the tears keep falling when I think of our baby growing up, I just can't wait to see how you will surprise us next. May our Father make His path clear to you and show us how to encourage you along the way!
Smooches, Snuggles, and Giggles,
Momma
Some shots of your special day...
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| You said this birthday stuff was supposed to be FUN!!! |
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| My favorite...she quit crying as soon as big bro stepped over & sang to her :) |
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| See...I can smile...just get that cake away from me! (seriously? maybe she WAS switched at birth?) |
How precious! Happy Birthday Mollie!!!
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