Happy Birthday Sweet Pea

Today is a day I feel happy and sad. It's my little Sweet Pea's 5th birthday. She was born January 29, 2002 at 2:10pm she was 6 lbs 3oz and 19 inches long. Making her my biggest baby(to that point little Man was bigger) Sweet pea was due Feb 14, 2002 but like all my kids she came early. She wanted to come earlier then she did and I spent all night in the hospital about 8 or 9 days before she was born in labour with the doctor trying to stop it, which he did. Then I got sent home and was placed on bed rest for the rest of the time, The contractions never did stop so I spent that whole week and a few days in bed timing contractions thinking, I'm so done I just want this kid out of me.

photos from Sweet Pea's 1st Birthday 1/29/03

On January 28, 2002 my contracts kept getting closer and closer and closer and hurting more and more.. after 3 hours of timing them at about 3 minuts apart I went back into the hospital this was at 8pm she was one long labour seeing how she wasn't born until 2:10pm the following afternoon.. BUT it was an OK labour.. drugs were good and no need for any stiches.. Lucky me I gave birth to 3 kids and didn't tear or need cut at all(#4 was a different story we might go into in May when he turns 2 )

These were at her 2nd birthday party

This next one was on the day of her 2nd birthday 1/29/04

After she was born I got to try something I didn't do with the 1st 2 and that was breastfeeding.. she took to it like a pro, I was so lucky. Though that 1st night she wouldn't stop nursing and I didn't get any sleep at all.
I was so tired from being up the whole night before giving birth to her and at 10pm I took her to the nursery and I went to sleep at 11pm they brought her to me because she wanted to nurse and she kept nursing and nursing and nursing. Every time I though she was asleep and tried to lay her back into that little glass bassinet she would wake up screaming and crying and wanting to nurse some more.. this went on until 7am.
Sadly at the time I didn't know how to nurse laying down.. I did learn this quickly though after a few more sleepless nights.

Here we have her 3rd birthday 1/29/05

WOW I can't get over that was 5 year ago already.
A little bit about my Sweet Pea, she is a sweetie for sure, but she also has an sneeky side to her but because she comes across as so sweet No one ever thinks she would ever be the one starting the trouble between her older sister and brother, no not sweet pea she would never do that. She is very very shy at times and at other you would think it was a different kid because she also can be really out going.. BUT I would say shy wins out the 1st and 2nd and 3rd time she meets anyone new, after she gets to know you well you never would have guess that it's the same child.
(the morning of her 4th birthday)

Did I ever mention that the 5th birthday seems to be the hardest on me as a mom?? I don't know why this is, maybe it is because in my mind 4 years old is still a baby but 5 year old are big kids getting ready to head off into the world of school and then college and then marriage. yeah I know she is only turning 5 not 25.. but 5 still makes me sad :( sniff sniff My baby is growing up too fast.

Durning her 4th birthday party 1/29/06

Since I can't stop her from doing this to me, I guess we will just celebrate the 5 years of pure joy she has brought into our life and Pray for many many many more years to come.

Happy Birthday Sweet Pea Mommy love you very much.