I’ll post my last entry in the water garden series tomorrow, promise. My little flower turns 3 today. Three. Forgive me for subjecting you to my mini montage of the past three birthdays:
Oliva Age 3
Favorite ice-cream: “pink”
Favorite song: Blurred Lines
Birthday wish: “a card.” follow up question, “what do you want the card to say?” pause. Your reply, “I love you.”
***
I rummaged around my archives to find the first post I wrote after Oliva was born. At the time Erik and I favored the nickname he knew his grandmother by, “Olive.” That’s the name I used when I wrote this letter. As we’ve gotten to know her better we’ve taken to using her birth name, Oliva, pronounced O-Lee-Va. Our little Olive has grown into an Oliva. We planted a miniature olive tree in the landscape around the pond as a gift to her. Here’s the post I was telling you about:
April 21, 2011
Sweet Olive,
I can’t believe you’re really here! You’re 4 days old and I really should be sleeping since you are, for the moment. But I’m so afraid that I’m going to forget these precious details. I need to start writing them down. So here’s the part of the story where we celebrate your birthday!
On April 17th at 2am my water broke but I was sorta in denial. I thought to myself darn it, I peed myself again! Which you may find is not uncommon when you are carrying around a watermelon on your bladder 9 months into pregnancy. I watched as your father’s eyes grew wide with excitement and anticipation when I finally realized it was time to get going. We checked in at the hospital and everyone looked at me with that suspicious “she’s not in labor” look. Talking about things like false contractions and leaky bladders. But I was over my doubts and knew we would be meeting you soon. I admit I was scared and brought to tears often by the physical changes that brought me closer to you, but it seems so inconsequential now looking at your sweet smile and those irresistibly plump cheeks. You arrived at 5:27 pm the cord was wrapped tightly around your neck but the doctor was able to quickly remove it without any problems. I was so elated to hear your hearty wail, like a battle cry. The moment you were passed to your father you stopped crying, as though you knew immediately this wasn’t a sterile stranger. The look on your dad’s face was one I’d never seen before. Awe, love, and pride all jumbled together as he stared at you, his 6 pound baby girl. Such an out of body experience. So much more I’d like to share…but for now I just really want to say through a blur of joyful loving tears how proud I am to be your mother. You are perfect in every way and I can’t wait to count the ways as we get to know each other better.
Love you little Olive! Happy Birthday!
Mama
Learning how to nurse, football style. You fell asleep. You’re so tiny, you look like you’re swimming in jammies and blankies.
Love her name … Blessings on your day sweet Olive
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Thanks so much!
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Have a Great Aunty Oli ~ really love the name. She is so cute Sandra … my pleasure 😉
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AWWWWW Happy Birthday Oliva!!!!!
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Thank you for stopping by and commenting!
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Happy birthday Oliva! God bless you.
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Thank you so much!
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This is a post full of love, Sandra. It is now my new favorite from Square One Notes.
Happy birthday No. 3, pretty Oliva. I hope you get lots of cards dear baby girl.
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Awww that makes me happy to hear! Thanks for letting me gush over her awhile. Have a great day Mark.
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Thank you for sharing, this brings back memories that I have of my two daughters and my one son. But it is Oliva’s day and may she have the best day filled with love, caring and tenderness.
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Thank you Dora! I’m really glad you liked it. Pinata to come this weekend at abuelita’s house. I’ll keep you posted. 😉
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Beautiful! Happy birthday Oliva!!!!
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Thank you Lysa! I’ll be sure to pass along your wish.
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A beautiful post about a beautiful mother and daughter 🙂
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Thank you Punk Rock Pal! 🙂 I appreciate the warm wishes. I hope you’re having a great day!
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There’s not much cuter than little girls in floral dresses.
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You’ll get no arguments from me. Thanks so much Kerbey!
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Sandra, are you sure you’d just had a baby in that final photo – you look great! Enjoy your beautiful daughter – happy birthday to Oliva.
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Thanks so much Rachel! I am more than positive I had just had her in that last shot. It was all quite memorable. But I do appreciate your kindness! That’s very sweet of you to say.
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Really you look amazing in that photo.
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xoxo
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That little beauty is 3, how quickly it happens! Thank you for sharing all the photos of her, it will be so neat when she looks back and can see all your notes and photos. Give the peanut a kiss from her tia. Love you all!
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Yes Nat, 3! Can you believe it? I will certainly give her some love from her Tia! Love you
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This post is lovely and so is she, as is her name :0)
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Thank you Chris! Nice to hear from you! xoxo
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HAPPY belated BIRTHDAY, dear Olivia – and Mommy and Daddy too! 🙂 She is so lovely! Thank you for showing these beautiful pictures, Sandra!
♥
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Thank you Britta! I appreciate your kind comment!
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Happy birthday, little flower! Amusingly I’ve done three portraits now, but none of them have been quite right. Hopefully I’ll finish the fourth before your fourth birthday 😛
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Oh Alice, I’m sure that they are all top notch, I love your work! Thank you so much for your birthday wish!
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OMG!!!!! On that first picture! She seems to be kissing her dad! How gorgeous she is!
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It`s your Blessed day Olivia ….HAPPY BIRTHDAY little one 🙂
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I’m gonna need 65 candles in June.
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Every parents’ wish. More candles. 🙂
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Wazzup wid dis lazy kid? When I was 3, I did a full shift in the steel mill and had a part time at the bakery. And drew cartoons! Thanks visit my blog.
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Same goes for me Carl. I suspect it’s a generation thing. We’ve sat her down and told her she needs to start pulling her weight around here. 😉
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How precious!
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She’s absolutely gorgeous. I could eat them up as babies! Time flies so quickly with them. Enjoy every precious moment. Many happy returns to Oliva.x
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Thank you so much! You’re so right, my husband and I were married for 7 years before we had Oliva. The passing of time wasn’t so noticeable before she came along. Now I seem to blink and a year flies by. Thanks for your kind words. xoxo
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Very nice post. I simply stumbled upon your weblog and wished to say that I’ve really loved browsing your weblog posts. In any case I’ll be subscribing to your rss feed and I hope you write once more soon!
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