Post 400...now ain't that special?

It is time to highlight a couple of very special ladies tonight.  The Abby's celebrate birthdays on that blessed first day of May each year.  I not-so-cleverly just tried to hack into my sister's blog to brag about her appropriately but it turns out my memory is as bad as I assumed it was...at least I think it is...can't remember.
Anyway, Happy Birthday Big Abby.  You are beautiful, amazing and wonderful.  You are fun and compassionate and talented.  You are capable, determined and good.  And we love you.

I am the luckiest girl in the world.  My sisters are amazing.  Every last one of them.

And so it is no coincidence that I have a daughter named Abby with the same birthday.  I mean, it is a coincidence for the fact that I didn't plan her conception to initiate a birth on that particular day just to use the name etc ect, BUT it did work out rather nicely in the end.  Here's the deal.  I loved the name Abigail/Abby, I happen to have a baby on May 1st, how could I go wrong?

Abby was not an easy birth.  She was an emergency C-section.  My only C-section.  But the moment I saw those dimples, all was well.  She brings a sweet peace to our family...a feeling of happiness and comfort.  She still makes me feel as though all is well.  She has her Dad's charisma.  She is friendly and polite and funny, my goodness is she funny.  She is good down to the core.  She is a people person all the way.  If she could be attached to you at the hip, she would.  She loves to cuddle and she loves to be happy.  She is brave and smart.  She is a free spirit, an easy going breath of fresh air.  And I love her.

Even though it was a Saturday, I gave in to not sleeping in because she was threatening to explode, she was so excited to open presents.  We brought her breakfast in bed and gathered around to watch the best reactions ever to gift opening.  She acts like every single gift is what she has desires most in life.  It is very satisfying.  (Hazel was a little less enthusiastic about this part of the day.)

That night, a friend was kind enough to watch the rest of the girls so that Abby and I could go out on a little Mommy/Abby date.  We went to the mall to exchange some shoes that she had gotten, and to spend some birthday money.

Then we went to see How To Train Your Dragon (I may just be hard pressed for a good movie but I LOVED it.  I may or may not have even cried a little at the end.  I guess Vikings have that effect on me.  Go see it.  End of movie plug.)  We had to run one more quick errand after that and it may have been my most favorite part of the evening.  It is not often that I get one on one time with Abby and it is so pleasant.

I need those opportunities to be reminded "why" on so many levels.  Does that make sense? I am grateful for my family, and the togetherness dynamic is amazing and necessary, but we need to be reminded sometimes that our children are individuals, powerful, unique and indescribeably special individuals that we love more than words can describe.  Even after I picked up all the kids and we sat in the driveway I looked at each one of them and felt awed by them.  And that was a good thing.
And then Hazel barfed, repeatedly.  But let's not ruin a good story.  I got my "moment" in there before the puke arrived.
And that made my day perfect.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABS!  I am grateful for you even though 7 seems just far too old.
I may just need to point out as well that those silly teeth that she got out of a vending machine at the mall are hilarious because it is exactly how her real teeth look right now.