four

He handed me a bag, and in it I looked...
A weird anniversary gift, I thought - it was a book.

I looked up at your dad with tears in my eyes,
"Baby Names" was the title.  I knew it was time.

He was ready to start trying to grow our family -
Ready for the two of us to become three.

About six months later, we finally saw two lines!
And while we both believed you were a girl, we wanted to be surprised.

So for nine months we watched my belly expand,
And counted down the days until we'd finally hold your hand.

You made your debut on your due date... "It's a GIRL!" Your dad exclaimed.
I've never seen him so emotional...  I knew he'd never be the same.

I thought I knew love, and then I met you --
My daughter, my best, a dream come true.

I can't believe that day was four years ago.
It's like I blinked and here you are, so grown.

I'm incredibly proud of who you are becoming...
So sweet and so kind, so silly and so funny.

You love to be outside and you love going to preschool,
With your best friend Allie and Ms. Tina, who you think is pretty cool.

You can spell your name, know all the letters of the alphabet,
And can count to 100 - thought we haven't gotten rid of "eleventeen" quite yet.

You're obsessed with Paw Patrol and peanut butter and jelly,
And still won't sleep without your favorite friend Ellie.

But your favorite thing in the whole world?  That's definitely your brother.
And he looks up at you like he looks at no other.

I've never been as proud as I have been to watch you
Become a big sister to our buddy-roo.

You are the true definition of unconditional love,
And an absolute gift from God above.

Each and everyday I want to make you proud...
You teach me not to take life to seriously, to jump around, dance, and sing loud.

You'll never know what being your mama means to me,
And how you kept me going when I struggled to believe.

You gave me the absolute best gift in the world...
Because I became a mama when your daddy said, "It's a girl!"

And I will never forget my exact feelings on this date...
October 10th - the day I met my daughter - my Cameron Kate.

Happy 4th birthday to my best.  You make me so proud, my sweet girl.  I love you to the moon and back and more than anything in this world.  And I promise to continue loving you in the way you have taught me how to love - with all of my heart and soul, and every ounce of my being...

-Mama <3