Oh the time flies. On a Friday the 13th in July, six years ago, I gazed down at a 9 pound 1 and a half ounce infant with awe and shock that something so small and perfect could belong to me. I fed her, snuggled her, watched her play with her first balloon, saw her read her first newspaper with Da, and made up lullabyes. I rocked her to sleep in a rocking chair, and cuddled her to sleep on the couch, often napping with her. I took piles of photographs of her with her fuzzy duckling hair, her rock star baby sunglasses, her deep blues eyes, and her rosy cheeks. I co-slept with her for years, I nursed her for a year and a half. I took her to the mall’s play area (affectionately deemed the petri dish) and watched as she scrambled around on waffles and bacon. I danced with her to Laurie Berkner and ran with her at the park. I watched my mother play endless fairytale games with her.

I helped her crawl and then walk. I gave her her first and only baby food (peas) and her fist adult food (Split pea soup). I gave her boy toys and girl toys, and felt I had done well when she declared that she wanted to be a bulldozer driver when she grew up, while all the girls around her wanted to be princesses.

I sang with her to song after song, hung masterpiece after masterpiece on the fridge, and watched improvised dance moves performed in my living room. I took her swimming for the first time, read her stories, took her to law school classes (where she raised her hand and participated more than once), and watched her grow.

And here we are, six. She can read and write, and keeps several diaries full of her secret thoughts. She wants to be a lawyer when she grows up and plays with her case files while watching Legally Blonde (her favorite movie). She is a big sister, who can help care for a baby, no longer being one herself. She will be entering the first grade in a few months. She held hands with a boy at her birthday party, and she is currently sitting across from my office at her own desk answering her own email.

How fast it all goes.

Thank you to everyone who sent her emails. She was thrilled to get her own phone and email account, and loved that she already had so many messages. She is trying to respond to all of them, but has to hunt and peck, so it may be a while.

Oh how the time flies…

Marlena’s 6th birthday party was a splash!

She and her friends spent hours in the splash park playing and running around. She pretended to blow out candles on this very windy day, and delved happily in to cake and Ice cream sandwiches. She opened gifts and laughed and smiled.
At one point, she and her friend Alex were strolling together across the field, and they reached out and held hands. His mom Melissa and I just looked at each other. Our babies first hand holding!!

Somewhere between July 13, 2001 and now, my little baby girl became a delicately beautiful young woman. I was amazed looking at some of the pictures of the party.

Simon helps Marlena with her headband:

Here she is dumping water over her head:

Here Marlena, Alexander, and Hannah play with one of the park’s many water features:
Marlena, Simon, and Alex read a birthday card:

Marlena opens a present from Alexander. (Look at how incredibly lovely she is! She is getting so grown up! Where did all the baby fat in her face go?)

Hannah reads a card to Marlena:

This one breaks my heart. When did her lashes get so long and dark?
Marlena reads Gabriella’s lovely handmade card: (When Gabriella gave it to her, she was so cute, she said “Oh I bet I know who this is from”. Later on, she told me she knew it was from Gabriella because she recognized her style of drawing.)

Morgan, Mason, Alex, Simon, and Gabriella watch as Marlena ooh’s and aah’s over her present from Nama and Da. She has wanted an Aqua Doodle for a long time. Thanks Nama and Da!!

A birthday kiss from Mommy:

After all the presents were opened some of the party guests went home, but Marlena, Alex, and Gabriella went in for another round of splashing.
Marlena and Gabriella:

We had a great time and got lots of lovely pictures. Too many to post here. I will be emailing many of them to the apporpriate parties.

This friday we are taking her to dinner and to see the new Harry Potter. It is a really special birthday this year. Marlena was born on Friday the 13th and this is the first time her birthday has fallen on a friday since she was born. Therefore, since it is a double birthday, we are going to have two celebrations! At least. (She is finangling for one in Denver when we come home in August.)