This Little Light of Mine

Last year on april 2, we celebrated a birthday for echo.  our little family of 5 had a tiny celebration for a little daughter and sister who was turning one on that paticular day.  originally, i'd thought that we would have a big party for her, with decorations, gifts and maybe even invite over her grandparents.  but as the date closed in, i realized that celebrating would be very difficult without her.  and so we, i,  chose to make it simple.  so simple, in fact, that we celebrated by letting each of her siblings have a cupcake with a candle to blow out.  we sang happy birthday.  it seemed a little hollow, now that i think about it.  no feeling, no light.  little happiness.  but there was anticipation and hope, no doubt, for the daughter and sister that we would soon be able to bring home.

celebrating without echo last year, April 2, 2011

this year, we celebrated for echo.  with echo!  on april 2, echo turned 2 years old.  and since she'd not celebrated the year before, we went with the whole "first birthday" type feeling.  we partied in my parents' backyard, with food, gifts, family, cake...yes, she even had her smash cake that so many first birthday babies get.  i just knew she would tear into it.  but, of course, like all 3 of our other children, she picked at it, unsure if this was really a safe or smart thing to do, after all, mommy never lets us DIG in our food!  she didn't really get it.  or like it.  and after she put a tiny finger or two in the cake, she looked at me and said, "wet wipe?".







just seeing and thinking about how far this little one has come is mind boggling.  we've not even had her a year!  i'm amazed at the changes in her physically, mentally, socially....it really is amazing.  and there are times that i'm amazed at my own changes for all the same reasons.  she has taught me a new kind of unconditional love.  we still have a long way to go but each day gets us closer.  it's still a lot of work.  but what 2 year old is NOT a lot of work?  i look at this little girl, our daughter, and see so much in her.  i see so many birthdays, vacations, holidays, arguments (well, she is a girl!) giggles, accomplishments, celebrations...i see it all with her.

look at this party crew!

echo with grandma and granddaddy williamson

yes, i see it all and more.  our full family.  our family of 6.  there is never a dull moment.  we are constantly moving, constantly going, constantly doing.  but constant is good these days.  constant is really good...

happy birthday, baby echo.  you gave us another light in our lives, little girl.