As of today, I am no longer the mother of a pre-schooler. My baby is five years old today. My beautiful, precocious, mischievous, funny, generous, cuddly, uber-loving little girl is five. How did that happen? We met her and brought her home when she was three, got to know and love her when she was four, and absolutely adore her now that she's five.
I never knew until I had her how much I wanted this little girl in my life. How much I needed a daughter. How much I would love her. I am indeed a blessed woman!
Below is the very first picture we ever saw of our Lizzie. The first time I saw her face. She looks so sad, haunted - and so contrary to her real nature. Though she has such a round healthy-looking little face in this picture, the image is deceptive. She was three years old in this picture but smaller than an eighteen-month-old; she couldn't walk very well; and she weighed fifteen pounds. Her measurements couldn't even be plotted on an African growth chart, much less on a western one. It is incomprehensible to me, and I ache for what she had already gone through by the time this picture was taken.
But she's strong, my Lizzie. Fully deserving of her name: Elizabeth Senait. She is strong and funny and smart. She's going to be ok. Much more than ok, in fact. She is amazing. She won me over with her charm and good humour and affectionate nature, but really it's the depth of her heart that captured my heart for an eternity.
Happy Birthday little Bean!
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Taken earlier today...on her 5th birthday.
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A family dinner out to celebrate Lizzie's birthday - at her favourite restaurant: Montanas. Normally my parents and sister/family would have been there, too, but my Dad had just had his accident and so was totally housebound.
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She wanted a chocolate cake with white icing and sprinkles...and so that's exactly what she got. We brought the cake to my parents' house so that they and my sister/family could celebrate Lizzie's birthday, too.
She is such a treasure!
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