Today is my favorite day.
Everyone always talks about their favorite holidays. Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and 4th of July. But my favorite holiday is the day of Audreys birth.
If you asked me growing up if I ever wanted children... most of my family would tell you that I always said no. I was independent at a young age, and honestly I wanted to travel and live in New York. I was always good with kids, so it wasn't because I couldn't take care of a child or be nurturing. I loved kids. I babysat, I worked at Vacation Bible Schools, and volunteered with kids. But the idea of having a child of my own... was honestly terrifying.
I thought childbirth was scary. I had terrible anxiety and growing up I was always scared something would happen to my family, so in my mind not having children would keep me from having that anxiety intensified.
GOSH I WAS SO SO WRONG!! ( Not about the anxiety, haha.)
Everyone always asks what made me change my mind? Well I straight up said
"God, if I am supposed to have a child, they better be red headed and blue eyed."
And that is what I got.
Before we found out we were having a girl, I was adamant that she was a boy. A "Logan" because in my mind boys were easier. I have never been overly feminine so the idea of dresses, and girly stuff was somewhat overwhelming.
But the minute I laid eyes on Audrey... I knew God gave me her for a reason.
Audrey was a chill baby, up until she got re-flux at 3 months old, and then she became a chill baby as long as she was in the bed with us. That habit didn't end until she was 8.
From a young age Audrey became adaptable to essentially anything. She dealt with change very easily. We had some big changes before she was even 2 and her happiness never once went away. She loved Yo Gabba Gabba & Olivia and we wore those dvds out! Her first word was DADA, and then she said MaMa.... and then BIEBER... over and over and over.
At 3 she started daycare & never missed a beat. She lit up a room everywhere she went with her contagious smile and bubbly energy.
During the worst times of my life, my little red head remained my constant anchor. Friends came & went. Heartbreaks happened. But I had her.
We love the same music.
We love to adventure together.
She loves to just be happy. And that makes me happy.
One of biggest goals I have in life as her Mom, is to make sure she knows that all of her dreams are achievable.
That if you work hard, keep your priorities straight, that you can do anything you set your mind to.
We do everything with a kind heart in our household. We accept everyone. We love without abandon.
We talk about hard things, we cry together, we grow together!
We talk about places she would love to go and explore. Because I don't want those places to seem unreal. I want to take her and let her stand where history happened. To meet people who are world changers. To know that there is a beautiful cultured world outside the city limits of the small town we live in.
I tell her she can be whoever she wants to be. That if she wants to try a sport or hobby that I know nothing about... I will do my absolute best to be her biggest cheerleader while she tries!
I will build her foundation full of support & love because on August 3, 2009, she became the heart of my foundation. Her first cry set the wheels in motion for a relationship I never knew I needed. Every day I am thankful for her.
Happy 11th Birthday Audrey Skyy, you are my greatest gift!
