annesley turns three

Nov 26, 2010

My baby girl is so not a baby anymore. Ask anyone who knows her well and they will tell you she changed her name months ago to “Big Girl” and today she celebrated her long-awaited for third birthday.

Three years ago I gave birth to her in a fast, powerful, and completely healing home birth. Her birth was hard physically, as they probably all will be from now on because of my pelvic injuries, but emotionally and spiritually I was wrapped in tender care, bounteous love, and faith in my body from all who attended. Annes’ birth was exactly what I needed to learn to trust my body again, to heal my soul from Fisher’s birth, and to fall in love with childbirth again. How God worked all those miracles into one five hour experience I will never comprehend, but I know He did.

He gave me back hope.

He gave me back joy.

He gave me back faith.

And He gave me Annesely Aliyah, the most delightful child I have ever known. This girl is so full of joy, it spills out of her eyes and fills her world again and again. She helps me remember the important things in life are having someone to hold, someone to love, someone to trust.

I remember the last few weeks of her pregnancy were full of foreboding fear of the possible pain of birth, full of debilitating anxiety that I would not be able to birth this precious baby, full of great concern that I would be injured from her birth as I was from Fisher’s. One day, I felt her spirit send me the message “Mama, it’s okay. It will be okay. Just trust me, it will all be okay.” Everything changed. Her spiritual message was so strong that it wiped away my fear. I was able to move towards her birth with calmness.

And she was right, it was okay. More than okay, it was wonderful.

And it still is. Her life teaches me that it’s all going to be okay.

Annesley’s birthday party was attended by three uncles, one grandpa, one grandma, one aunt, one cousin, three siblings, and her mama and papa. She received a wooden food set, a pan set, an adorable skirt, a Life is Good shirt, and her birthday book, I Know That My Savior Loves Me. So many presents for a little girlie! We had ice cream cake and she thoroughly enjoyed every bite of her oreo and mint chocolate creation.

After her party, she was given a birthday haircut by her Aunt Mikelle. She looks like a little pixie.

Pictures of her three-year-old day: