Annie is 3!!

Today is Annie's 3rd birthday.  Or as she would tell you, her 19th birthday!  Don't rush it kiddo...  This video was of her birth (a couple of semi-graphic c-section photos - be warned).  Things I notice now that I watch it 3 years later:

1. Lydia looks a lot like Maria does!  Lydia was 18 mos and Ahren was 2 1/2 when Annie was born.
2. Tim has a gray WCA shirt on - I think that's the only thing he ever wears!
3. You have to watch it all the way to the end.  Ahren brings Annie the bear that he and Lydia made for her at Build-A-Bear.  Her name is Elmo.

These 3 years have been fast and slow all at the same time.  When Annie was born, she was 8lbs 3oz and 20".  She had lots of black hair and a sweet round face.  I was so concerned when she was born because of the horrific experience we had when Lydia was born.  But, her lungs worked perfectly...and they still do :)  She is our loudest child by far!  In the recovery room after my c-section I almost had a panic attack because I wanted, no I NEEDED to see my baby.  I wanted to hold her and nurse her and keep her close.  Those days of Lydia being untouchable in the NICU were all coming back and it scared me.  Besides her jaundice, Annie was a healthy, sweet baby girl.

The one story I like to tell all the time is how the nurse brought her in to me in the middle of the night to eat.  I had to use the bathroom first, so I woke Tim (who stayed with me all 4 nights after each of the kid's births) so he could hold her until I got back.  Annie was causing a racket because she was hungry NOW, as most newborns can do.  Tim urged me to hurry up because he couldn't take the noise.  I told him to get over it, this was our 3rd child and he should be used to it by now.  His response was that there was something different about this girl's capacity to be loud.  And, he was right! 

Annie loves to be heard.  There are no secrets with her around.  She tells you when she has a booger that needs to be wiped, when she needs to poop , and when she 'toots' (although she calls tooting, burping!).  She shows her feelings whenever and wherever she is - no matter what the feeling is.  If she is excited, her eyes light up and her dimples show.  If she is sad, big crocodile tears appear at a moment's notice.  She is truly all girl and loves to be with her big sister, Lydia.  She also loves to mother Maria and is so sweet with her.  Ahren is her big brother and she knows that he is trustworty and will help her get a drink if she can't reach it.

Annie is so loved!  She is a joy and our life would not be complete without her.