Five years of Lovely...

Landry turns six in three months, so clearly now is the perfect time to post these delayed five year pics! HA!

I snagged this tank in the junior's section (is that a thing?) at Target as soon as I saw it. Also, the girl loves to wear these glasses everywhere, so they had to make an appearance. 

This is how she really felt about those rusted bottle caps. 

I almost lost my breath when I saw these snaps - she just seemed so tall, so big, so not my bitty baby anymore. 

Lovely, cute, darling and sassy... 

Hard to believe that baby on the left wearing that delicate little gray headband is the same big kid on the right still wearing that flower in her head and rocking a mean mug like nobody else.

I don't think she will ever stop taking my breath away. 

I look at each of my kids and simply wonder how I am so lucky to call these amazingly beautiful tiny humans mine. 

What in the heavens did we ever do to deserve such grace? Because isn't that what children are - His grace? He sees fit to ignore all of our inequities, to forgive all the wrong that we do and offer us the undeserved opportunity to love and shape and mold a divine creature created in His image. 

From their beginning as babies wrapped in swaddling clothes and as they continue to grow - we are gifted them to love. 

Five years later, the baby that once fit snuggled up in a swaddle is now a strong, capable, amazing little girl content with exploring the world and picking flowers as she goes. 

Ready for adventure with a crown on her head. 

She completed our "royal" line-up with ease. 

She has most definitely mastered the role of "baby" in the family. 

Every single on of us still falls for her tiny voice, her big brown eyes, those pig tails. We all give in - even when we shouldn't and SHE KNOWS IT. 

She still can't resist a good twirl. 

And she also loves to let her hair down every once in a while. 

I threw this dress Emmy wore for her five year pics in the car at the last minute - I thought it would be fun to have some comparison shots of "the sisters" as Radley calls them.

I have no idea why people ask me if they're twins.

;) 

She ended up in her favorite dress of all time. 

She feels BEAUTIFUL in this dress. She is obsessed with this dress. There are tiny little holes in the pockets because that's where she keeps her hands. She would wear every single day that it's warm. And maybe even when it's cold. 

"I want to wear this dress and a little pony today, Mommy." 

As I look at these pictures I'm reminded how silly I was to worry about the amount of love I could offer each child. My biggest fear was that I wouldn't have enough to give. Not enough time, not enough me, not enough love. Would I be able to love them like they deserve? 

Yes.

Through all of their mess.

Through all of their joy.

Through all of their success.

Through all of their hair pulling moments. 

Yes.

Yes.

Yes!

And even more amazingly ... that love just grows right along with them.