dear emme

On this day, three years ago, my beautiful angel came into this world, appropriately named, Emme Angel. Her first few days were marked with a little bit of worry as she had to undergo phototherapy treatment at home for a high bilirubin count, or jaundice. She looked brown, but really was slightly bruised from delivery, which can cause the high count. She handled this treatment like a champion. After a few days of worrying her father to pieces, she came out from under the lights and brought with her, her very own bright light that we see every time we look into her little sparkling eyes. My mother says her eyes resemble marcasite stone, and I agree. They just shine.

Our little girl is such a sweetheart, sometimes I just can't believe how tender and loving she is. Every child is different, and although her sisters also crave and require lots of affection, Emme offers it back to those closest to her. Not a day goes by that she doesn't tell me how beautiful I am. She says, "I love you, my beautiful mudder" (she means mother) or other things like "Mama, you are just so pretty, my sweet mama". She is such a grateful child, always thanking us for everything. Not just with an instilled value of politeness that we want all of our children to have, but she has this unique grasp of true gratitude and it shows on her face and you can hear it in her voice. She is just appreciative by nature.

Her favorite thing to do is to play with her daddy. She loves rolling around on the ground while he tickles her, balancing on his feet, standing on his back, riding his back like a horse and ever since she was baby, with no fear, she'd sit in his hand and bask in the feat. I could cry just thinking about how much her daddy loves her and I am so grateful that I know she will grow up with a good man in her life that will always show her affection and tenderness. It already comes back tenfold in her personality. She calls her younger sister her little sweetheart, or a princess baby, with the most precious sounding soft voice.

Of course, she is a child, which means she is as perfect as can be. She has her whiny days. She drives us crazy like all children do so well. She shrieks like a baby banshee sometimes, and boy is this child loud. We thought my oldest was loud before Emme came, but she takes the cake, for sure.

She's growing up. She is maturing. She is starting to act more like her older sister, and looks to her for companionship that I can only appreciate from the outside, since I never had a sister-sister relationship. But I know it is so special. As concerned as I get that she climbs, when I walk into their room to check on them in the night, and I see that Emme has climbed into Luciana's top bunk, my heart melts. No matter how many toys they squabble over, no matter how much they argue over who gets what place mat or who is touching who, or looking at who, at the end of the day, these sisters want to be together, like friends, looking for an intimate comfort that only a sister can offer.

So today we wish my baby girl, Emme Angel, a very happy birthday. We love her more each day.

Emme had a great time at her Toy Story birthday party. I will post more pics tomorrow of her special day.