Happy Birthday

I want to take a minute to wish a big, fat, daddy-sized Happy Birthday to my second and fourth daughters. Daughter #2 was born July 9, 1997. Daughter #4 was born July 9, 2003. Both put mom through almost identical amount of time in labor, both were born just after noon (12:29 and 12:17), both were fast deliveries (which ones weren't?) and both bring me incredible joy (as do my other children).

I was reminiscing with my wife recently and realized how fast times has moved past me. Not able to recall much about our pregnancies with either of our first three daughters, I find myself remembering only a few things about the earliest stages of their lives. One of those things is my second daughters electric smile. I say that because she can light up a room with her smile. It is so precious. The other is her uncanny ability to use a level of common sense not found even in many adults. She began to demonstrate this as early as four years old.

Fortunately for me the last two children are much easier to remember. Heck, they both occurred within the last two years. But I would recommend to any parent with young kids: make the most of the time you have with them and take hold of the memories before you reaize that the memories are now misplaced.

Happy birthday my two precious daughters. My life is so much more blessed because you are a part of it. Thank God for you. I love you both.