Happy 3rd Birthday!!!

Yesterday was Sophie's 3rd birthday!!! Wow...I cannot believe she is already 3!!!

Flashback 3 years ago...

It was Monday night, October 10, 2006. Brandon was sitting on the couch watching Monday night football. I was getting some things done around the house. We had just closed on our house 11 days prior. Sophie was already 3 days past due. I started getting an odd feeling in my tummy. I didn't think much of it. I had no signs of labor prior to this. Then the feeling started to get a bit stronger. So I sat on the couch next to Brandon. The feeling was now coming and going in regular intervals. This was it. I knew it. I was in labor. I was SO EXCITED. Brandon timed them...they were about 5 minutes apart but very mild. So I showered and finished packing my bag. We left for the hospital around midnight. By this time, the contractions were getting to be a bit painful. But it didn't matter. I was too happy. Already in love with my little girl who was getting ready to enter the world. I couldn't wait to meet her. I couldn't stop smiling.

I was admitted into the hospital and by 2am I had my epidural. Oh, how wonderful that epidural felt. We both fell asleep until about 6:30am. By this time, I knew people were waking up. So we started with the phone calls. At 1:13pm on October 11, 2006, Sophie was born. Labor was easy. I now knew why women could do this over again.

Thinking back upon that time brings so much joy to my heart. The excitement. The awe. Getting to hold her for the very first time. I will never forget that moment. I could relive that moment a million times over. She was my perfect little baby girl.

We named her Charlotte Sophia Coleman. Charlotte in honor of her late paternal grandfather Charlie. My actual due date was October 7th...Charlie's birthday...what are the odds??? Charlie was an absolutely wonderful and very involved father. Brandon was very close to him and is like him in many ways. I believe Charlie is Sophie's angel...watching over her...giving her the drive and determination to keep on going...to fight through every seizure...to not let it hold her back...as he fought through cancer to watch his boys grow up. We miss him ever so dearly.

Happy 3rd Birthday, Sophie!!! I love you more than words could ever describe.