Anna, my chickadee

Six years ago (in April), my daughter Anna was born.  I went into labor at 4:00 am on April 22nd.  I spent the first 11 hours of labor either pacing back and forth in our tiny apartment or walking around the city of Portland.  As Joel and I rode the elevator of our apartment building and walked through the city, people kept asking me when my baby was due.  I would respond, "Yesterday."  And they would look a bit worried.  Imagine if I had told them that I was in labor as we spoke!

At 3:00 pm, we decided it was time to head to the hospital.  Anna was born just a few minutes before 9:00 pm.  She weighed 8 pounds and 4 ounces.

We had chosen not to find out the gender of our baby during our ultrasound.  For some reason, everyone seemed to think that I was having a boy.  And I had always pictured myself having a boy first.  The doctor said, "It's a girl!"  I was so tired from labor, delivery, and not sleeping the past few nights, that it took a while for that news to sink in.  A girl!  How very exciting!

Anna, our darling baby who would not sleep.  Anna was a very content little girl, as long as she was being held.  She would sleep some during the day, but at night she would cry unless we were holding her.  With me she was happy as long as I was feeding her.  For Joel, she would cry any time he sat down.  We were a couple of tired new parents, taking shifts holding her throughout the night.

Anna did everything really early.  She said her first word at 6 months old and could say dozens of words by 10 months.  At 14 months, she would say things like "hexagon" with perfect clarity and an understanding of what it was.  She crawled at 6 months and walked at 8 1/2 months.  She was a very determined little girl!  She loved all fruits and veggies, and hated meat.  She wouldn't touch any form of dessert.

Anna was two when her baby brother Arik arrived.  She adored him, but was also very jealous.  He took up an awful lot of mom and dad's time!  Anna was used to having every minute of my undivided attention.  They are now great friends and I can't imagine what either of them would do without the other.

We moved to California when Anna was three.  I was surprised by just how hard our move was for her; how much she missed her friends.  It took her a long time to bond with new friends.  She still thinks of her friends in Oregon as her cousins. 

These two were like sisters.

When Anna was four, she asked Jesus to be the Lord of her life!  What a wonderful day!

Anna completed Kindergarten last month.  She is a wonderful student; always eager to learn.  She is a great reader and a creative writer.  She picks up on math very quickly and really enjoys learning about history and science.

Anna plans to be an artist when she grows up, and a mommy, and a house builder.  "I'll be very busy," she says.  She loves spending time doing crafts, gardening, taking care of our pets, reading, and playing with Arik.  Anna is always most content when she has some type of project or activity to focus on.  She absolutely beams when she is given a compliment for something she has done well.  I am so thankful that I am able to be home with my kids, and that I get to teach them.  We have so much fun!

I love you Anna!  I am so glad that you are my daughter!