Oh the irony...Happy Birthday Maeve!!

The irony is not lost on me that the child I prayed the longest and hardest to conceive is now the child that requires the most prayers to parent.

Adelle was two before Joel and I decided maybe we did want a second child. Looking back now, with the experience of parenting others, Adelle was not a difficult child. But at the time she was a lot to handle. I was working full time and Joel was commuting to school 4 hours a day. Having one child was challenging. But by the time Adelle was 2,  I was baby hungry. It took six months to convince Joel it was a good idea. Then six months to conceive baby #2 (affectionately called baby tiger by Adelle). Three months later I miscarried. Of course Joel was off on a film shoot. My little brother and his girlfriend, now wife, came to help me through that night. Joel walked in the door 15 minutes after they left, having cleaned up the bathtub and stood guard in case I fainted in the shower. That is love I tell you. Thanks Jon and Tara. But the best thing Joel did for me after that was leave town for 6 weeks to film. Seriously. I was an emotional wreck. I blame the hormones for my inability to control my crying. Joel just didn't know how to help and I felt bad because he felt bad. I had no idea how to get myself under control. By the time he came home I was back to myself. Thank goodness. 

Six months later I finally got pregnant with Maeve. So you can imagine that 2.5 years after that baby hunger started, to finally hold my Maeve was pretty amazing. Little did I know what I was in for. But that memory of how much I wanted Maeve to be a part of our family helps deal with the challenges she brings to it. 

I should be grateful for her. Because of sweet Maeve I could write several series for my blog such as:

• How to motivate the unmotivatable child.
• How to parent a strong-willed child.
• Parenting without breaking their stubborn spirits. 
• 100 things to do instead of beating your child. 

In all seriousness, I am so happy that Maeve is a part of our family. How could I not be happy about someone as funny and creative as her? I try to keep a journal each night about how I saw God's hand in my life that day. As I flip back through it, I  have recorded some funny sayings from Maeve. Here are a few:

• "I want to make something for Adelle so she will like me" -Maeve
  "If you are nice and say kind things,  she will like you" -Me
  "It is easier to just make her something" -Maeve
• "I hate you more than soup!"
• "Give me all the juicy details" (when I was telling her a story)
• "Don't worry Mom, I have an infinite amount of kisses" (when discussing saving her kisses and  not kissing the strange neighborhood boy)
• And this poem she wrote to send with the flip flops we decorated for children in Nicaragua:
             "Sorry you live in a junkyard but that is okay
               flip flops are here to save the day."
               (I didn't send the poem)

I think God knew that I needed her as much as she needed me. And that is still true today. She tells me she is never going to leave me. She plans to buy a house next door and live by me forever. And you know what? It is going to be freaking awesome to watch Maeve try to parent a child just like her. 

Happy 7th Birthday. I love you Maeve. xoxo