If only.

Three years ago today, I didn't know she was a redhead.

Three years ago at this time, I was into hour 37 of labor. Whew, if I knew then what I know now.

If I'd known that she was the picture of empathy. If I'd known she had flawless milky-white skin. If I'd known that giggling under a blanket with me would be her most treasured activity. If I'd known her favorite color would be purple. If I'd known how much she'd adore her sister. If I'd known how hard it is to say "no" to gray-green eyes filled with tears. If I'd known she could pick armfuls of weeds to present to me.

If I'd known, I could have been much more patient.
When Lucy was born, I couldn't believe something so perfect had been inside me. If ever I knew that life was precious, it was the moment I saw her fuzzy red hair.

And now after just a blink or two, I'm braiding that fuzz into sweet little braids and cleaning cake batter off of her milky-white skin. I'm picking just the perfect shade of purple for her bedroom and telling her not to hug her sister so hard.

In a few more blinks, I'll be brushing that red hair from her tired adolescent face and reminding her to put sunscreen her milky-white skin. I'll be painting over the purple with a shade her friends like and reminding her that her sister should always be her greatest ally.

Tonight I hope that the next 15 years pass as slowly as those 43 hours of labor. If only I'd known how quickly it would pass.

Tomorrow we celebrate Lucy, our little lawmaker, friend, benevolent queen and saintly sweetheart.
What a sweet, sweet Mother's Day it'll be. With my 3 favorite people, 3 years from the day I became a mother. A very Happy Birth Day indeed. The birth of an amazing little girl. The birth of a mother.



- Posted with love from my iPhone