Where have these 7 years gone???

7 years ago at Clint and I welcomed our second child into this world. She was a beautiful baby girl ... with SO much black hair. The nurses told us they had never seen a baby that had as much hair as Harleigh did. She was adorable!!! She looked just like Breeanna did the day she was born. She was everything that I had been dreaming of for those past 9 months.

Then ... an hour after we had Harleigh ... here came our 14 month old little girl, Breeanna, waddling into the hospital room. She instantly went over to Clint ... who was holding Harleigh ... and said "Baby!!!!" Even Breeanna fell in love with this perfect little gift from God the moment she saw her. She was just so darn loveable ... and still to this day ... I just wanna scoop her up and cuddle her.

From the moment that Harleigh arrived into this world ... she loved to be cuddled. She did not want to be put down ... ever. Did I mention ... EVER!?!?!? Her extremely LOUD scream would inform you ... that you better pick her back up ... or all hell was gonna break loose!!! And THAT was a promise she delivered on more than once!!! She had to be swaddled up really tight (a baby burrito as Clint always called it) until she was 10 months old. (Yes!!! I typed 10 months ...)She even had to be rocked to sleep EACH and EVERY time ... up until she was 10 months old. (Yes!!! I typed 10 months again ...) As tired as I was at moments ... rocking her to sleep was such a peaceful moment. Looking down at her ... with her head all snuggled up against my chest ... are photos in my mind that I will cherish forever.

To this very day ... Harleigh and I still have "Cuddle Bug Time". It is just a time we set aside once a week that we snuggle up under the covers in my bed ... and cuddle. Most of the time we both fall asleep ... and Clint is stuck sleeping on the couch (sorry Clinton). But when he sees that perfect innoncent little daughter of his sleeping ... he does not wanna distrurb her. Everytime we cuddle ... I make her promise me that she will always be my baby girl even when she is a grown adult. So far she keeps telling me yes ... so far!!!

I am not even sure how to describe Harleigh. There is not really one word that comes to my mind. She is ... a perfect piece of work. That about sums it up. A perfect piece of work!!! She definatley went through the terrible two's AND three's (YES, we had TWO SOLID YEARS of it with little Miss Harleigh Bug). Clint and I have so many "Harleigh moments" that we will never forget. (From my first "fit thrown in public" at the Oak Park Mall to crawling up on the top bunk where Clint and I could not reach her when she was in trouble. Looking back at it now ... makes me laugh just thinking about it ... gotta love our little Harleigh Bug!!!

She has such a huge heart!!! She some how knows that exact moment that someone is sad and needs some "Harleigh loving" (as Clint and I call it). She instantly walks over to you ... gives you a hug ... kiss ... and tells you that she loves you. Then suddenly ... you forget why you were down and out. She is everyones friend ... and everyone wants to be her friend. I love how she is always there for Breeanna and Eythen. They know that if they want to play something ... all they have to do is ask Harleigh ... and she is there for them no matter what she was previously doing. She is always telling me that I am the best cook in the world or the best Mommy. Then she never misses a beat and looks at Clint and gives him a compliment as well. She tells him that he is best worker in the world (I guess that is what a 7 year old calls a Plumber???) or the best Daddy.

Harleigh ... I can hardly believe that you are 7 years old already. You will forever be 4 in my eyes. I feel like I blinked and you were suddenly in preschool ... then I blinked again and you were off to kindergarten ... and here you are in 1st grade celebrating your 7th birthday. I do not wanna blink again and you are suddenly 17!!! I wish Father Time would slow down the sands of time ... just for a moment. I love you Bugs!!! Do not ever stop being that sweet perfect little girl that Daddy and I love so very much!!!

P.S. I will never forget on your first day of kindergarten ... when I was holding your hand walking you up to the kindergarten doors ... I whispered "I am gonna miss you so much while you are at kindergarten." I kissed you goodbye and waved. I then turned around and cried all the way back to the car (well ... sobbing might be a better word for it actually). I could hardly wait till 11:00 to pick you up and hear about your first day of kindergarten. When I picked you up ... you came running to me all smiles and hugged me. Mrs. Sweany followed came up to me as we were walking back to the car, and told me that you started crying at one point in time during class. When she asked what was wrong ... you told her, "I need to go home because my Mommy is gonna miss me while I am at kindergarten. I do not want her to be sad. I need to go home."