Mallory is another year older and we are turning the page to her 7th year! What kid doesn’t get excited about his or her upcoming birthday? Her major excitement waivers somewhere between going to school on her actual Birthday wearing her pajamas (as it’s PJ day) or the day after, when she gets to have a sleepover birthday party with one of her best friends Julia. Either way, she is giddy with excitement and smiles for no other reason than “It is my BIRTHDAY!”
Each year I write to her in amazement with how fast time goes. And though it sounds a bit redundant, it’s the honest truth. Seven years. It was a blink. We sat at dinner, on the eve of her 7th Birthday, and told her all about the 24 hours leading up to her entrance into this world. We were still able to skirt around some of the gooey details and I am pretty sure by next year all truth will be out. She sat in honor listening and taking it all in. Who held me first? Why was Kate crying? Why did they wait all day for me to be born? Why did I have my days and nights mixed up?
I told her I was nervous the morning I went into the hospital. She asked why…I told her I had no idea what I was doing. That I had never been a parent. And I did not know what this baby girl we had named Mallory, was going to be like…
And were we ever lucky. Lucky on this 7th birthday to have such a sweet, caring and helpful daughter. There isn’t a pleasant adjective that wouldn’t be pinned to describe this child. My parent pride button is as big as ever lately. When she was little the milestones came at record speed. She smiled! She cooed! She crawled! She talked! (She never stopped talking!) She walked! Now those “baby book milestones” are almost complete. I thought it would be sad. I thought I would miss looking and watching for something to change in her. But it turns out they keep changing as they get older (Nobody told me this, remember she’s my guinea pig). Its called maturing…and it is so fun to watch. She is making calculated decisions on things and able to follow through on those decisions. She checks the lunch calendar, decides if she wants hot or cold lunch. Once that decision is made, if it is lunch from home she grabs the necessary things and puts together her lunch. 
She rarely has days where her clothes look like an outfit straight from Punky Brewster’s closest. Because she gets it… She looks at her outfit and picks the shoes. Socks—well socks are another story, but from what I hear, crazy colored, nonmatching socks are all the rage…
She grabs a book, sits down on the couch and reads. If she has a book in the car, she will sit and quietly read from one destination to the other. This moment (quiet car rides), I thought would never come.
Though she is changing in so many ways right before my eyes, she is still my Mallory. She is still my rule follower. Her smile still lights up an entire room. She still needs to be right up in everybody’s business and loves to be with people. She still loves to read. She still loves macaroni and cheese (she will go to Buffalo Wild Wings for the 5th year in a row to celebrate her birthday). She is still one of the most beautiful girls in the world. She is seven and I thank God everyday that she is ours.
Happy Birthday Peanut, Mommy Loves You!!
Note to the blog world, this is one of the days that I am so incredibly grateful I keep up with writing memories. Below are the last four years of birthday posts.
Mallory is Three
Mallory is Four
Mallory is Five
Mallory is Six
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