April 11, 2011

five on april tenth

five years ago with an up and down not so fun delivery
we finally met our beautiful butterfly
Madison Ella


you arrived
with some of the strongest lungs they've heard
they said
but you had the longest eye lashes i had ever seen
i was completely in love with you

you had such beautiful petite features
and a full head of dark hair
that i just loved, loved!

after an hour or so after your birth
I was finally able to hold you
I didn't want to let you go
for anyone
even family

I wanted to cherish every single moment and study every single part on you
I think family had to remind me that they wanted to hold you too



there grew a special bond between both you and I
and Hayley and I...
with each pregnancy
 i had to have ultrasounds every 3-4 weeks
for various reasons
so the bond we had before you even arrived was so special

I wouldn't change our journey for you and hayley at all
it was all for a reason

but i still remember seeing you just 8 cells big
I was laying in the hospital room
just praying that this time was "the time" it was going to happen

Madison you are our miracle
you are such a blessing that we are so very thankful for


and when i woke up this past Sunday morning
~ your birthday ~
tears just welled up in my eyes
and i literally just cried

tears of happiness
joy
  thankfulness

and tears of just knowing i am always proud of you



i remember our journey for you so well
and I've tucked that back for many years
because when we were blessed with you
we just wanted to move forward

it became the past
and our present and future was with you

 the pain is just a distant memory
all thankfully behind us now

 yesterday you were five
and as daddy and I tucked you into bed last night
i remembered you were born about one hour and 20 minutes
before 8:45 pm

I cannot believe how quickly these past 5 years have gone by
I want to hold on tight and freeze time right now 
because i know it is going to fly by even faster


I'm so proud of you
for all that you are
and all that I see in you
for all that you have grown in just these past couple of months
with believing in yourself
having fun
and showing the "you" that we know well



as I'm typing right now
I'm thinking of the day when we found out
that we were pregnant
they warned us carefully that we were not out of the clear yet
but after three years
of things not working
I really knew you would and had to be okay

when my phone rang with them calling to give us the news
either way news
I was shaking
standing in our hallway
of our first home
 I had Bobby answer the phone because I couldn't...
 I may have been already crying with just the rush of feelings

daddy's eyes immediately welled up and a smile came across his face
 I immediately smiled after looking at him

Madison, we are so grateful for you
and so grateful that because of you
we were able to be blessed with Hayley twenty-three months later

five years later on April 10th
our little butterfly has grown up into a little girl
ready for kindergarten next year
{sigh}

you have always been so determined
focused
with every single thing you do

you have one of the biggest hearts i have ever known
kindness that is as sweet as can be
and a passion that radiates from your soul

you are the first to always offer me help
with anything and everything
and you do it with so much love

not too long ago...
Hayley was so tired and i was helping her brush her teeth
and I had just taken her sheets out of the dryer before her bedtime
and hadn't made her bed yet
i mentioned to hayley I would make her bed as soon as I was done helping her


I walked into hayley's bedroom
and you had already put her pillow and laid a blanket on Hayley's bed
for your sister
just because you wanted to help me
and do something nice for her

my heart just swelled with so much love and thankfulness
because Madison... you have such a joy when helping others
and helping your sister was the sweetest...

Madison
you 
inspire me to be better
every single day

your love language...
is definitely affirmation
and acts of service could be a close second


you are our butterfly that...

loves chocolate cupcakes/cake like her daddy
loves strawberries, oranges, and blackberries
fairy trees {broccoli and cauliflower}
"cacongos"
 {cacongos are coconut m &m's...but you call them "cacongos"}
 you love eating el fresco

 you love...
mahi mahi
gnocchi
{which you and Hayley call "p~nocchi"}

you love to help me decorate
and snuggle with me right before your bedtime

you love...
"Wednesday night" movie night
your family
friends
Jesus
Cadence
puzzles and games

you don't like to loose
especially when you and I race Daddy and Hayley into stores
{we usually always win...chuckle}
except when we lost "once"
you were not happy about that:)
neither was I:)
you are way too hard on yourself
very sensitive
loveable
stubborn
and super organized

you love to be a "fashionista"
{picking out/designing clothes}

you even dressed me for saturday before both of your birthday parties
you picked out my shoes and all my accessories
I think you could be my personal shopper 

you love white
your vintage chandelier in your bedroom
and vibrant colors

I always knew you would be a color girl

you love your sister
Hayley and you seem like long lost twins
as you two sometimes talk in your own language


you love, love the beach as much as we do

and you love to help me cook
 you usually have your foot stool by the counter
ready to help me

i love how silly you are in the car
and how you love to sing and dance to super fun songs with me

you are head over heals for Taylor Swift
and i cannot wait to surprise you this fall with her concert

I am so proud of you my sweet one
you are one of a kind
a little girl with such a big heart


Happy 5th Birthday
Madison Ella
we love you so much
xo

7 comments:

Shannon said...

Happy 5th Birthday sweet Madison!!!
What a great post Martha :)

Jacki said...

Awww! Happy 5th to your daughter. Enjoy that age!

Laurie said...

Loved reading about sweet Madison! I remember those lashes when she was just a baby. Amazing! :)

Tish said...

happy 5th birthday indeed :)

Mrs. Dunbar said...

She is so so adorable. And five is such a fun age. What a beautiful little butterfly you have there! Such a gift.

Alyssa said...

Beautiful beautiful Post!

Lulu and Co. said...

i'm late to the birthday wishes but sending loads Madison's way!!!! beautiful post!!! tears!!!!
Have a blessed Easter week,
xo,
LuLu