2,554

that's how many days she's been here with me.

and if your math is as good as mine, and you, too, need a calculator to add and multiply (and divide, i suppose ...) that number, let me help you here:

that large number of days up there in the title is 6 years + 364 days. {sigh}

she is 7 tomorrow.

seven. s.e.v.e.n.

no way, can't be. it isn't even remotely comprehendable.

and while i cannot recall what my days were like before she arrived (likely quite boring, without color for sure!) i can honestly tell you that 2,554 days have passed me in the blink of an instant; faster than the beat of one heart.

the baby. the caboose. the one that brought us from three, to four. the 'old soul' of the group - the one that's been here before. the one that nurtures all of us. the one that adds so much to us.

she warms my heart.

she touches my soul.

she shows me love.

she brings me peace.

she takes my breath away.

she finishes a circle we call family.

seven.

my baby. i can recollect her first appearance like it was this morning at 4:03AM.

my water broke at 2:13AM; called my sister over to watch the first fella we had; shot out to the hospital, mostly at her urging, arrived at 2:40AM; whisked in the triage room, antibiotics administered (group B +); no thanks to the "other" drugs, we're going naturally again; whisked up to the delivery room; doc called three times, never showed. sean had me laughing - again, he is so good at that! - during intense back labor; ready to push, just minutes after arrival into room; fantastic nurse catches the squigly addition at 4:03 AM; girl? girl?! nuh uh! show us - yep - confirmed, girl. 9lbs, 13 oz., 19 inches; hubby escorts the new external piece of his soul to the nursery and returns giggling at the way she "outsized the other wee ones". gee, she looks kinda large in there, mom. :o)

the rest? the rest is the 2,553 other days .... they call one of each sex a 'rich man's family'. that's what i was told ... can't deny that here. we are "rich" in that manner. she has brought so, so much.

happy birthday-eve, babe.