Seven Years and I Want to Stop Counting!!

This time of year always brings on reminiscing.  I think back 7 years to what I was doing this moment 7 years ago.  The days before Jocelyn's birthday I think about when I went into the hospital scared out of my mind, the time when the doctors told us we were going to have a 32 week preemie, those *wonderful* hours of contractions, and on January 31 at 5:26pm, the emergency C-Section, and the moment my daughter was born.  I was really out of it by then.  Days on Magnesium sulfate do really wacky things to your brain, but I remember clearly thinking how warm Jocelyn was.  I don't know why that struck me so strongly, but it did.  She was so, so tiny.  Only 3 lbs. 5 oz. and 16 1/2 inches long.  So, so tiny...  I always describe it as - stretch out your fingers and touch the tips of your pinkies together.  That's how small that is.

February 8, 2008, we held Jocelyn for the first time, she was 8 days old.  On March 4, after 33 days in the NICU, we finally got to take her home.

The events of Jocelyn's birth were not even close to the birth plans I had made up.  I can look back at them now and only laugh.  I had such high hopes, but NOTHING went as planned.

I learned from that moment on that the plans were no longer up to me.  And in some ways that's still true today, but I've also realized that being Jocelyn's Mommy means so much more than planning.  I still have my schedules and I still have my massive planner, but my plans are now focused on her and what makes her happy.  And that makes me happy.

The latest plans together with Jocelyn involved planning her 7th birthday party.  She wanted a Rainbow Unicorn theme, and yes, there are actually Rainbow Unicorn decorations, pinatas, games and the like.  I had no idea!  She chose it all, decided who she wanted to invite, helped decorate for the party, and ultimately had a great time!

Beating on the pinata!

Making our craft - Rainbow colored door hangers with hearts and flowers.

Saying Cheers with their unicorn cups.

And proudly wearing their unicorn headbands.

The only downfall, was literally, the downfall of the too-heavy unicorn cake topper, but Jocelyn managed to get that candle blown out just in time!

I can not believe my teeny tiny baby is now 7 years old.  The time has gone by so fast.  I am so proud of the person she is becoming.  Despite the scary beginning, I wouldn't change a moment of these 7 years, because it all brings me to this amazing, sweet, beautiful girl and I'm so lucky to be her Mommy.  Here's to whatever plans she has for me in the future!!