I can’t believe ten years has gone by since I first saw, heard, smelled and loved my daughter. I always get so emotional around Birthdays. And this was no different.
In the days leading up to birthdays, I always find myself reliving “what I was doing however many years ago”. Was I at the hospital? Had I started pushing? We count down to the time each child was born to make it official.
And then with Gabby’s, I relieve the events after her birth. The room filling with doctors, The Doctor telling me she had Down syndrome, and his offer of putting her in an institution. It truly felt like an out of body experience. Like I was seeing it all happen from afar, yet it was painfully happening so close. I remember my dear friends Melinda Lewis and Cindy Abercrombie showing up, well after visiting hours – daring the nurses to try and kick them out, to comfort me and support me. It was then that when they looked into my eyes and said, “You can do this”, that I knew I could. We spent four long days in the hospital. I could not wait to get my beautiful daughter home.
Once home, everything was surreal with Gabby. I was so in love with this amazing person. She slept cuddled in my arms, on our sides, facing each other, nose to nose. I wanted to breath her in. We spent many, many hours on the couch, feeding. I loved waking up early with her, only to take a long morning nap with her. She was mesmerizing.
And she still is. There is something so real, so honest, so true about Gabby. I think she loves people they way they are meant to be loved, without judgment. Her emotions are real and she’s wonderfully honest. She is selfless, getting more excited for others than herself. She’s such a hard worker, working harder than any of her friends to do the same thing they do, and all while smiling.
She taught me everything I know about being a mother - how to love my children unconditionally and to cherish every unique, different, quirky, crazy, lovely thing about each of them. How to really live by the belief that everyone is different - and that is great and wonderful.
Gabby, sweathearted and loving
Lucy, emotional and sensitive
Dylan, protective and loyal
Trevor, intuitive and sensitive
Cody, fearless and funny
Evey, silly and....is "princess -like" a word?
I am so beyond words lucky that Gabby chose me to me her mother. I am eternally gratefully for all that she has taught me about life and love. She is my biggest inspiration.
Happy Birthday our Beautiful Gabby Girl!
Gabby is in love with the color purple, because it is Justin Bieber's favorite color.
Thank you Auntie Wendy for the beautiful cake.
Dylan and Lucy showing Gabby the "Justin Bieber stage", complete with a Justin and Gabby lego person, that they made for her.
Love
No comments:
Post a Comment