Eleven years ago today, my beautiful, little girl came into this world.  Weighing in at a whopping 9 pounds, 4 ounces we were all shocked when we were informed that she had to be moved to NICU and have IV antibiotics administered for 10 days.  They assured us that it was only precautionary, but leaving my baby in the hospital was the hardest thing I’d ever done. I went back everyday, a couple of times a day until my doctor threatened to ban me from the hospital if I didn’t stay home and rest.  At the end of the ten days I brought this beautiful baby home and refused to put her down.  I held her all day and put the bassinet directly next to my bed at night. Every sigh, every whimper, I woke up and picked that baby back up.
“You’ll spoil her!” I heard that a lot.  But my grandmother told me, “You pick that baby up whenever you want.  No one knows her better than you.”  She was right and I did whatever I wanted anyway.  I’m sort of known for my tendency to not really give a crap what other people have to say, especially if they don’t agree with my decision.  But that’s another story.

Haley grew to be a delightful, animated, bit of a ham kind of kid and I’ve been entertained by her every day since she came into my life.

Haley has and will pick up a microphone and sing and dance, tell you a story or draw you a picture, at the drop of a hat.  She loves to entertain – I can’t imagine where she gets that from, but as Uncle Dale has commented now and again, “She reminds me of a girl I used to know…”

Fiercely independent, don’t even think about telling her that she can’t accomplish something.  She is smart and strong and more than capable. When she puts her mind to something, there is no stopping her.

With a heart as big as you can imagine, she is always looking for ways to make the world a better place.  From volunteering her time, to lending an ear to a friend in need, she has been known to empty her pockets into the jar at the Humane Society, the Salvation Army kettle in front of the supermarket or the cup that the WWII Veteran holds on Memorial Day.

Watching her grow and explore the world around her, challenging the things that some of us just take for granted is inspiring.  Where there is injustice, she will always speak up, not only to right the wrong, but to find out why the wrong is accepted in the first place.  She loves people and animals and music and dance.  She’s funny and beautiful and brilliant.  I chose her name, Haley, because I read something about how it meant “brilliant star”.  It suits her very well.

If we allow them to, all of our children teach us to be better mothers, but this child has also taught me to be a better woman.

Happy 11th birthday Haley Katherine.  Do me a favor and don’t grow up so fast, ok?

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