Remember that happiness is a way of travel - not a destination.

It's been an interesting & tiring day.  It started at 4 a.m. when Miss Klara "Birthday Boo Girl" materialized and woke me up out of a peaceful slumber.  I didn't get upset with her because it was her birthday!  After getting Jared off to school around 6:45 a.m. I tried to catch a few winks here and there while snuggling with Klara and watching cartoons.  That was a joke!  "I'm hungry...I'm thirsty!"  Yeah yeah yeah...

 

After Rich got home from work I had to dash out the door and drive to the hospital to see my mom.  She had a complete knee replacement today and did very well.  They even had her up walking before I left!  That's just crazy! 

 

I visited with her for a little while.  She is really funny when she is drugged up on morphine and stuff.  She kept saying, "I'm awake, but my eyes won't stay open."  She said a few more funny things, but I won't embarrass her by repeating them here.  But, overall, she is doing well and is scheduled to be out on Friday to go home.

 

I stopped by a local bakery my grandmother used to frequent that was close by the hospital and picked Klara up a little cake for her birthday.  I had intended on making her one, but I had a little too much on my plate today.  I promised her I would make her special cake this weekend and she was cool with that.

 

I met the rest of the family at Cici's and we had a nice dinner.  Afterwards, Rich took the boys home and I took Miss Boo Girl shopping.  She had decided that she didn't want a toy for her birthday, but a "beautiful dress."  You have to understand, "beautiful" is Klara's favorite word right now, lol.

 

I took her to Value City and they had all their beautiful little girl's dresses on sale 50% off.  She ended up scoring two beautiful dresses, a beautiful nightgown, and a fluffy hot pink pillow.  She eyeballed the pierced earrings, but I told her she would have to have pierced ears to wear those.

 

"What is pierced ears, mommy?"  Klara asked.

 

"That's when they poke little holes through your earlobes so you can wear those earrings," I replied.

 

Her eyes got huge, she tossed the earrings down and said very firmly, "But that would HURT!  NO!" 

 

I told her she didn't have to get her ears pierced until she decided that might be something she wanted to do.  She seemed relieved, lol.

 

We took our beautiful items and went home and had cake and icecream.  Do I have pictures to show you tonight?  No.  Why?  Because the digital camera was forgotten, yet again, so we were forced to use another freaking "fun saver" camera.  But I splurged and bought an upper end one this time, so I hope the pics turn out better.  I'm not holding my breath, though.  We sang "Happy Birthday" to her and she blew her four little candles out at exactly 8:31 p.m.....the exact moment of her birth four years prior.  I thought that was strange!

 

After modeling all of her beautiful dresses, it was time for bed.  Overall, it wasn't a bad day at all. 

 

I still remember when she was born how proud and shocked I was that I was able to have her without having a c-section.  I had a c-section with Jared and it was such an empowering feeling to give birth on my own.  Everybody was crying when she was finally born and I just stared at her and was in shock.  *I* did that!  ME!  My body was able to do what it was supposed to do and I was so pleased.  And I had a girl!  There are no girls at all in our families.  My brother has all boys, Rich's brother has all boys, and we have all boys...except for the Boo Girl (we call her Boo Girl, by the way, because she used to make a sound as an infant that sounded like "booooo....boooooo.")

 

Klara has always had a saucy, moody, wild little personality and she still does to this day.  She is a strong little girl and she will make a wonderful woman one day.  She is self-confident and no nonsense.  I'm very proud of her!  Like her namesake (the midwife that delivered her), Klara is destined for wonderful things in life.

 

I think I am going to go to bed now and get some rest.  Thanks to all who kept my mom in your prayers...it means a lot to me!  Good night!

 

Newborn Klara

 

Klara wearing a dress that had belonged to me as a baby

 

 

Jared & Klara

Klara this past late spring

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOO GIRL!