Seven years ago today I became a mother. Pregnancy counts to a certain extent, true enough, but when I held my baby something inside of me switched. My life didn't belong to me anymore. I knew from that moment that everything that I did and everything that I said would be imprinted into little ears and eyes. That'll make you rethink just about every goal you've ever had!!!
Kourtney Michelle Hansen was born on Labor Day, September 1, 2008 shortly after 10 am. She was 7 lbs. 1 oz. and 19 inches long. And yet that little miniature human being held more power than anyone could have ever prepared me for.
She was a hard baby. A VERY HARD BABY!!!! I swear the child didn't sleep through the night until she was four years old. Not a lie. Seriously, not a lie. Yet when I look back on that first year, while I do remember the sleepless nights and feelings of surely going insane, I also remember the babbles. I remember the chubby baby fingers tugging on my long hair. I remember the night that she first smiled at me while I was feeding her at 2 in the morning. I remember how she used to randomly fall asleep on the floor because she would scream torturously when we tried to lay her in the crib for a nap. I remember the first time she grasped the concept of "peek a boo", when she learned to crawl in our little kitchen, when she took her first steps while Daddy was at work (sorry honey).
Then when she became a big sister she just blossomed. The child never got jealous, she was always helping with her sister. Then she started school and I felt like my heart was missing for 4 hours out of the day. Now she is 7. SEVEN!!! She is in second grade and gone all day long. The girl is sassier than sassy can be and funnier than funny can be. She's a daddy's girl through and through. She's a hard worker. And she loves Jesus more than anyone I've ever met.
God sent a spirit to me 7 years ago that teaches me more about life than I could ever imagine. But most people who are parents know that this is true. What Kourtney truly gave to me was ME. I became the person that I was waiting to become when she was given to me. Suddenly my life made sense. Suddenly I knew, as long as I had her, everything was safe, happy, everything made sense.
I cannot believe that today she outsmarts me on a regular basis. That she carries her baby brother around the house like it ain't no thang. That she does the dishes, bathes herself, cleans her room by herself. These things are wonderful and absolutely necessary. But sometimes, when I watch her sleeping at night, I yearn for just five more minutes... just five more minutes with my little baby girl... the baby girl that changed my life forever 7 years ago.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SWEET KOURTNEY!!!!
My name is Stephanie. Welcome to my blog! A blog that keeps up with my life as a stay at home mother to two beautiful little girls. My youngest daughter, Kloey, has Down Syndrome. As this is something that is pretty big in my life, I like to write about it. All children are a blessing. Plain and simple. This blog is here to show just that. Much love. And happy reading.
