Sixteen years....in a blink

When I found out I was pregnant with Hallie, I thought the doc was kidding.  I was fairly old, and had a 10 year old and a 14 year old.  Getting pg wasn't anything on my radar....at....all.

And then, along came Hallie.

She weighed 9 lbs, 9 oz and was 22 inches long.  She was just shy of being a toddler when she was born.

With a 14 year old sister in the house, and all the 14 year old's friends, she was quite the hipster.

 Her first Christmas.

Before we blinked twice, she was already pulling up on random things like legs and fireplaces and walking.

She seriously was the cutest little baby.  All dimples and eyes.  Her hairline was so receding, I was afraid she would be a forever grandpa.

When she finally got a little hair on top, we didn't waste any time flaunting it.

 Her sisters adored her, even would change her diapers without groaning too much.

And she was oh, so, oh so very happy.  All the time.  Just a little happy camper.

As I was looking through pictures to share on this blog, I ran across a few of her "scrapbooks" she made, while Lacey was doing the real scrapbooking, she would give Hallie some "Scrapbooks" of her own to keep her busy (and out of her stuff).  These pages were so precious, I'm just sharing them.

Hallie Hembree.....by Hallie Hembree   (age 7)

"Bald as Can Be"  Me and My Baby Days

Don't you think we are FUNNY?  My Fourth Birthday!

I especially like the pictures of the turtles that she cut out of some random magazine.  Her hearts were perfection. 

Hal & Lacey  "Sisters love each other"  

"Me & Kip"

This was interesting.

"animals are awesome".  I'm still clueless where she got the cat. 

There's so much fun on this page, I don't know where to start.  Her curlers, Her witch costume, her lady godiva on her rocking horse......Too many to chose from.  

 

I like this for one reason only.... the picture of her in the doghouse.  Priceless. 

Both of those little black puppies succumbed to parvo, about broke all of our hearts.  

She had quite a knack with the scissors here.  Takes after her mom. 

I especially love the one of the left corner...way scissor happy.  

On her 7th bday she got her ears pierced.

That lasted about 3 months.  

I think one of my all time favorite picture though

is this one..

She is 3 and Corey is 6 or 7.  

One of the cutest pictures ever.  

Her and her brudder. 

She was a terrific aunt, and couldn't get enough of Laynie.

I thought it was ridiculous when she turned 8.  Where had the time flown?  And where did Gram find those hip red/white/blue patriotic specs?

Now she is 16, and ridiculously tall.  And Smart.  And Beautiful. 

 Her sisters can't believe she is so much taller than them, and has such a better butt than them.  

It's all a mystery. 

They spend a lot of time pinching her volleyball booty and giving her a hard time.

All I know is yesterday we were doing this......

And now we are doing this.......

And today she will drive.  All the hours chauffeuring this child will come to an end, and I will be forced to find my own entertainment.  The difference between this child and my first two, I never slowed down enough to realize where I was with them, and really drink in every minute.  We rushed to the next milestone with amazing swiftness, and rushed to the next without acknowledging any of them.  That is my biggest regret as a parent.

If I can offer any advice to any of you busy busy parents......don't race to your milestones.  This past summer, I slowed down at work, I slowed down at commitments, I slowed down my life, to really, truly drink in this time with Hallie.  Oh, don't think for a minute I didn't want to put a sign around her neck "Free to good home" most days, but I lived full out in every minute....cherishing all of it.  And now, as of today at 10:45 am (barring she doesn't hit a curb in her driving test), she will be off and running herself around in her Nissan Frontier....... paving her own frontier.  As I drove into the high school parking lot yesterday morning, exasperated as crap at my teenager who thinks I'm dumb as dirt, and only put on this earth to make her life miserable.... I took a moment's pause and celebrated the fact that I will never have to push my way through the crazies in that parking lot in the morning, ever again .

Bitter.Sweet.

Drink it in.

Happy birthday, Hallie Lauren.  God's got Big, Big plans for you.  And I will be behind you, cheering you on, every step of the way....all of your life.




Forever and a day, Love you to the moon..........MoMo