Fifth.

When her mama told us that she was pregnant, I couldn't wait.  Another baby to love on, kiss, and snuggle?  Nothing is better than that.  I hoped the baby would be a ginger, just like her daddy.  But I knew I'd love this baby no matter what she looked like.

On Christmas Day, my family gathered for our annual gift exchange.  Carrie had planned it so that how we figured out our gift selecting order would also be how they revealed the gender of the baby.  The notecards eventually spelled out "we're having a..." and we all attempted to guess, and then they finally told us...it was a girl!  We couldn't believe it.  My grandmother had seven granddaughters and no grandsons...she was convinced her first great-grandchild would be a boy.  But to our beautifully pleasant surprise, it was a girl.

When she finally graced us with her presence on May 7, my heart almost exploded with joy and love for this new little girl...this new little girl with red hair.

Emerson Elizabeth was never a shy girl.  Even as a baby, she would happily go with others and smile so wide that the smile would spread all the way around the room.  She still isn't a shy girl.  She'll tell a stranger at a restaurant to push in their chair and will ask the little girl across the street on Halloween if she wants to come over for some candy.  For such a little girl, she has a big personality.  And that big personality comes with a big heart full of a lot of love.

To my Emerson,
Today, you are a whole hand...you are five years old.  I am always amazed by you and your contagious joy.  You love your brother, your cousin, Dora, and princesses.  And I love you.  I'm blessed to be a part of your life and cannot tell you how wonderful it is to have you as a part of mine.  Keep being you, because whoever you are, that is perfect.  Love you with every inch of me.