the biggest little turns 17

tears on my keyboard. that's what's goin' down right now at my place.

man. hate to sound like a total mom here but where? huh? where the heck did the time go?

seventeen years ago at 3:11pm. shane and i did something pretty fantastic. we, along with a 3 nurses, a fabulous doctor- that i believe it's safe to say i fell in love with- and a male student nurse (that was on his first day and definitely turned green at one point throughout my labor) brought this little lovely into our world. 
i suppose one could argue that at 9 pounds she really wasn't that little but she felt tiny and fragile to me.

check out this bebe:

thankfully she wont wear this birthday suit to her party saturday night

even though at this point her diet consisted mostly of goldfish crackers, fruity snacks and glue she looks darn healthy huh?

aw look. she got all big girl beautiful on us-(don't worry we wax the moustache every few months)!

this is our girl. 
strong and sassy, funny and frank. tough and talkative (oh boy, talkative), smart, nosey, independent yet stuck to me like glue most days, beautiful and unique and surprisingly sensitive.

she is a challenge. that's a good thing. i would be worried about her if she was any other way.

seventeen years from now i hope i am holding one of her babies and loving them as fiercely as i love her. until then, keep goin' kid! 

happiest of birthdays to you lou!