Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Oh, Birthdays!

When Joan and Kate came to meet their new baby sister in the hospital, Joan exclaimed with a sigh "Baby Marin.... what a wonderful challenge!" It was such an ODD thing for a 3 year old to say, that it quickly became part of our family vocabulary.

Only, this sweet baby was hardly a challenge. She's been easy-going and cheerful since the day she was born. As an infant, she nursed and slept like a dream, smiled early (around 3 weeks, I think), and entertained herself happily if I forgot to give her a toy (which was often).

I routinely "lost" her in my home. Where did I lay the baby down now? I'd think to myself. Then I'd turn a corner and find her, right where I left her, waiting for me with a big drooly grin, new spit up soaking the front of her shirt.

As she got more mobile we worried about the stairs, the slippery hard floors, the tiny parts of the big-kid toys. We had none of these things when the other 2 were babies... But she smiled her way through her "mobile babyhood" with nary a problem.

So far in her life, the only rough patch we've encountered with her was her 6-month-long ear infection that she got around 10 months and was never completely cured of until she got tubes at around 16 months. Yeah, those were some tired months in our house.




Soon she was a toddler and started winning over the hearts of our somewhat cold and distant neighbors. I don't know if it was the dimple, or the wave of the chubby hand, or her sweet chirping "hello's", but they are big fans of Marin. She even got to forever memorialize her two-year-old foot print in their concrete driveway. True story.


She's not sure why, at such a tender age, she's been given the "job" of helping me raise twins, but she accepts the responsibility with grace. She truly believes that she is my sidekick, and that together we are going to keep those girls in line.


She has a very serious nature about her and can give these dark, crusty looks at anyone who earns her disapproval. On the other hand, she is a very sunny and happy child with a bright smile. She easily draws people into her world and has many fans. While she has lots of playmates her age, she specializes in getting Adult Adoration.


She's determined to get what she wants in this life, but she does so in a gentle, polite manner. If you are not careful, she *will* convince you of whatever it is she is after, no matter how much you initially disapproved.

She is my baby, and I could talk and talk about her. From the moment I laid eyes on her, I felt instant and fierce love, and it has not wained one bit over the past three years.

I love all three of my daughters deeply and passionately, but this little Marin has a delicious, edible, irresistible quality about her that makes me nothing more than putty in her sticky little paws. I just... I can't... there are no words.

Oh, Marin. Happy birthday! I'm so glad you joined our tribe!

P.S. Why yes, I DID make that snazzy little birthday crown. I got the idea and pattern from The Creative Family by Amanda Blake Soule, aka SouleMama. I love it and will be making 2 more come January as Teh Sisters *also* love it.

P.P.S. Also, I realize that you can see Marin's "real name" on that top picture. Isn't that fun? I'm always curious of other blogger's "real names". Frankly, I'm more worried about brick-and-mortar people finding my blog than I am about my bloggy friends finding my brick-and-mortar residence. Internet security, I spit in your general dye-rection. In any case, I will continue to call her "Marin" here.

9 comments:

Trish {Pink Preppy Lilly Lover} said...

What an awesomely adorable party! :) Your girls are so lovely. Hard to belive the little miss is already 3! (HEE love the name sneak in - fits her perfectly!)

Anonymous said...

Our baaaaabies... sniff sniff!!

Happy Birthday, sweet Marin!

Swistle said...

I lovvvvvve knowing real names, and also I don't quite believe them to be true. Her name is MARIN.

Pickles and Dimes said...

She's so adorable!

KS said...

This is an awesome tribute to an awesome little girl.

Interesting take on internet security. I guess without real using names, there is little chance IRL people will find you online, right? But if they do, there will never be a question as to your identity because of the pictures. Do you worry about that? Not that you should, I am just curious.

Marie Green said...

KS: The internet is such a wide and vast space, that I *think* there is little chance of people that I don't want reading my blog finding it. The main IRL people I don't want here are members of my family, D's business partner, my in-laws, and any possible future employers... not that I write anything much about any of them... it's just that this is MY space, and I want to write without having to censor myself.

If they did find me, as you said, they would know for sure b/c of the pics... but I don't worry about it too much. Most of the above listed people are not internet savvy, and if they are, they are not big into blogs. And it's not that I want to keep them away AT! ALL! COSTS!... it's more that I prefer if they don't read here.

Ah, internet security... I'm never sure if I'm handling it right...

clueless but hopeful mama said...

Love the crown! I made a few last year after seeing them on Amanda's blog and now I have to find the time to make one for myself for my own birthday because I WANT ONE!

(Love her name! Well, both of them actually!)

Happy Birthday Marin!

(MY baby will NEVER be three. And don't tell me otherwise.)

Erin said...

EEEK! She is so beautiful I cannot get OVER it. And you know? Marin and Emmett really DO look alike. It might cause permanent damage to my eyes to see them both together. That much baby beauty in one place?? (YES, there is still A LITTLE BIT of baby left in them!) Looks like she had a Happy Third.

Kelsey said...

So happy, the pictures, the occasion, your thoughts. Sigh. Happy sigh.