Happy 5th Birthday, Averie!!!

Averie in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014!

I cannot believe it's been 5 years since we first met this sweet girl in person. In some ways, those baby days don't seem that long ago, and in other ways, I can't imagine not knowing this little face. Everything before her seems like another life, or a story I read somewhere.

Actually, her own life has been sort of an interesting story in itself.

My mother tells me about when I was born, and she went to show me to her father. My grandfather's mother, Marie, had been a redhead, and she died when my grandpa and his brothers were just boys, so my grandfather always had a soft spot for girls with red hair, and my mother, his only daughter, was one of them. When he saw me, he told her I was "exactly what [he] wanted...a little girl with red hair and blue eyes, just like Mommy." (My hair later turned to a light shade of red/strawberry, and my eyes turned green, but that's besides the point.)

My mother and her parents were very close, and as a child I was very close to them as well. My parents even have the same wedding anniversary as my grandparents, who had a long and beautiful marriage. Both my mother's parents passed away when I was a girl, and I have missed them constantly ever since. I have always taken comfort in the fact that my grandpa, who succeeded my grandma in death, passed on their wedding anniversary. It seemed to signify to me everything I already believed: that they were together, happy, and continuing to exist in another world beyond this one. That date has always been very special to our family.

I can remember, right when Averie's head started to be visible to the doctors and nurses delivering, I asked what color her hair was, expecting blonde or brown. Rob's hair is brown, and my hair is naturally a light strawberry, so I wasn't expecting my mother's and great-grandmother's full-on bright red hair to show up in my kids. When they said it looked red, I was shocked. Sure enough, Averie Emma was born with a head of bright red hair. Of course she was. She was born with red hair and blue eyes, just like Great-Grandpa would have wanted.

Ready for the best part?

She was born on March 25, the same day my grandparents were married, the same day my parents were married, the same day my grandfather joined my grandma up in heaven. And when she was born on March 25, this day that reminds me so much of my grandparents, with red hair and blue eyes, my grandfather's favorite combination, it was just perfect. I have always known that my sweet Averie is known and loved by my grandparents in heaven as much as she is by us here on earth. She has made me feel connected to them again in new ways, although she had no control over any of it and probably doesn't yet understand it. She is special in a million different ways, and I know she will do important things some day.

Averie, you are the sweet girl I always dreamed of having. You have changed the way I view everything and everyone; you have made me a better woman in every sense of the word. You are such a great daughter, a caring older sister to your brother, and a wonderful friend to everyone because of your huge heart. I cannot imagine having a more wonderful daughter than you. Mommy loves you so, so much.

Happy birthday, Averie! I simply cannot wait to see what you do in life.

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