Ally at Six

Today is Ally's 6th birthday! Here are 6 fun facts about Ally:

1. Ally was born 3 weeks early by emergency c-section due to my condition of vesa previa and the inability to stop labor. It was a crazy, hectic beginning to her life but thankfully everything went smoothly and she was as healthy as any full term baby. The only tragedy was that I didn't have a camera until day 2 of her life! I know! Blasphemy, I tell you! What I love about her being born on this day, February 16th, is that it is also the day my brother died in 1984. I think her being born on this day was his way of trying to turn that day into a happy event instead of one we remembered so solemnly. Of course I'll always remember the day he died but now we celebrate and are happy on this day which I think he would rather us be.

2. At the risk of sharing a little too much information, I love this next fact about Ally. When Jeff and I realized we would need the help of fertility meds to get pregnant, we thought for sure we would be able to plan each pregnancy exactly to our specifications. Let's have 2 right away, then wait 4 or 5 years and have 2 more and be done. Sounded perfect. So, yes, we had our 2 boys right away. Only 18 months separate them. But lo and behold our little plan was quickly insinerated and when Cameron was only 11 months old, I found out I was 2 months pregnant! Without fertility meds! My first thought was, "What the... how the heck did that happen?", second thought was, "Oh shoot! That means 3 kids ages 3 and under!", third thought, "This better be a girl!" Luckily we got our baby girl straight from heaven and that was my saving grace. Little did I know she would be the sweetest most precious baby girl I had ever seen.

3. Ally reminds me so much of myself, it's a little spooky. We have so many similarities from our looks to our personalities. Our baby pictures look identical! Our toes are identical - poor girl. Our sizes at the same age - identical. It's kind of neat to have this little version of me running around. I hope she's okay with it as she gets older. I also hope we won't butt heads too often through her teen years since we're so similar. Only time will tell.

4. Ally is a very quiet little girl - until you get to know her. (Just like me.) She's really shy around you until she feels comfortable with you. Some of you probably can't even imagine her letting loose at home, dressing up, dancing and singing to her favorite songs using the big screen TV as her mirror. It's really fun to watch her make up entire dance routines to these songs knowing she would never perform like that in front of others. It's a real treat that only those closest to her get to witness.

5. Ally is a little princess through and through. She has always loved pink, babies, dresses, make-up, all things frilly and feminine. I thought for sure with 2 older brothers so close in age to her that I would be raising a tomboy, but nope. She is ALL GIRL!! It wasn't until shortly after she was born that I was converted to pink. I couldn't stand it up to that point but after I saw her in it, I couldn't get enough. PINK! That is Ally.

6. Ally is beautiful inside and out. She is thoughtful, sensitive, a wonderful sister, very sweet, funny, creative, happy, imaginitive. She is a complete JOY to have as a daughter. She helps so much around the house and especially with Maddie. I don't know what Maddie will do with herself when Ally is in 1st grade. She is definitely Maddie's favorite playmate.

To my sweet baby girl, Happy 6th Birthday!

I love you so much!

Enjoy a little Hannah Montana courtesy of Ally's special day!