My baby

She has dubbed herself "The Golden Child".

Becca Erin. She was supposed to be Becca Elysse but she decided to make her appearance on St. Patrick's Day so I felt like we should commemorate that somehow.

Let me back up....

In my last post I talked about some of the thoughts I had while alone in the hospital with my new son, Hunter. One thought/feeling I had was one of peace and contentment. I translated that feeling into our family being complete. I hadn't imagined having "only" three children but I felt so content that I assumed that was the case.  So we decided Matt would get "fixed".

Literally the night before the procedure I had a vivid dream. Don't laugh... I have very crazy dreams anyway... like movies. In this one, I was being herded along a path with other hostages by some foreign military types. I saw something moving out of the corner of my eye, glanced over, and it was a BABY, laying face down in the dirt. But obviously alive. I turned to our captor and asked if I could go pick it up. He said no. I begged, pleaded, and he still said no.  I woke up.  Then I woke Matt up and told him his procedure would have to wait. Perhaps just a crazy dream but I couldn't ignore it.

We spent the next several months praying, fasting, praying, pondering, and praying some more. We just were not getting any clear answers. So finally we threw our hands up and said let's just not do anything to prevent another baby for 3 months and see what happens.  I must admit I felt a little sense of relief when we were approaching our deadline and nothing had happened. That lasted a few days until the tell-tale signs of pregnancy showed up. But there ya go... we had our answer.

Keep in mind, at this point I had a busy 5 year old very ready to start kindergarten, a feisty 3 year old starting preschool, and an 18 month old that was thankfully pretty easy on me.

After 32ish weeks, Becca apparently felt ready to join us. After stopping labor 4 times, we were just shy of 37 weeks so the doctor told me to come on in.  March 17, 1998.

I sometimes feel bad for babies in large-ish families. I was so busy I didn't soak in the newness of this one as fully as the others.  But I did realize that this was FOR SURE our last. So I let myself soak that in. I rocked her to sleep every. single. time. And I didn't rush her into crawling, walking, etc.

Molly loved the baby but had so much to do now that she was going to school.  Sara was too busy idolizing Molly to be too into the new sister. Hunter was just too boy to care. So Becca grew into a child that was very content playing by herself.  And like most youngest children, she has the fewest photos and such.

As children, she was literally terrorized by her brother Hunter. He took great pride in his ability to take her from zero to screaming in milliseconds. It only took her about 14 years to grasp the idea of laughing with/at him and at least acting like he didn't bother her. So fun to hear her now say "I can't wait to see Hunter!"

Becca was only 9 when the divorce happened. She just wanted to love both her parents and see them both. She had no way of understanding some of the things that had gone on and that went on during the ugliest of it all.

Becca was always the "cute" sister.  Who doesn't love her fantastic freckles? And she was the only one that got a touch of her Gramma Sharon's strawberry blonde hair. She has such gorgeous and stylish older sisters to follow. She has done it with her own unique flair. And as she grows through her teen years I see that she won't always be the cutsie little sister. She is becoming a beautiful young woman... that still has fantastic freckles!  She often reminds me of her oldest sister Molly, with her facial expressions and mannerisms. She shares clothes with her other sister Sara but makes the outfits all her own.  And some days she seems to love that she is the baby. But some days she seems hate it.

Poor thing is stuck home as the only kid left.  She is forced into spending more time with her parents and (eek) step-parents than I am sure she wants to.  She told me the other day that I am her best friend. What more could a mother want? Especially from her 16 year old.

Becca is a planner. She always had her birthday party planned about 11 months ahead of time. She knows how many children she wants to have and what their names will be.  She wants to own a bakery.  She's been known to get a little flustered when her vision and plans don't fall into place but she is getting better at that. Nothing wrong with plans goals though.  I can't wait to see them come to fruition.  And even if she has more lessons in letting go of the vision and going with the flow... I have no doubt she will handle it all beautifully.

My "golden child". ;)