Bella's birthday

Today is Bella's 4th birthday and I had plans to take her out to lunch and have her picture taken. I have the kids picture taken every year around their birthday, so that I can really see how they change from year to year. Having it done on their birthday also helps me remember when it is time to have their picture taken and it also keeps me from giving into the exorbitant prices of the pictures taken by the school (well, for Elias now & Bella in the future). But my plans were changed by the weather. So Bella and I came home after we dropped Elias off to school after his 2 hour delay and we ate turkey and cheese wraps and looked through her baby photos (which I am ashamed to admit are very few, since I have printed barely any since getting a digital camera). She loved looking at the pictures, as always. She said things like, "Awww, look at the cutie bow in my hair!" or "Mommy, your belly was really, really big!" or "Mommy, why did I have to stay in your belly so long?" or "Look how Elias is kissing my head." It really was special to look through them on her birthday and remember what a small bundle of sweetness she was and what a big girl she has already become. Then we played for awhile and when it was time for nap, I let her nap in my bed and I laid down with her. She asks to nap in my bed from time to time and she always asks me to nap with her when she does. Usually, I have things I need to do while she's sleeping or I am looking forward to reading a book, etc. But since today was her birthday, I decided to lay down with her. We cuddled for a while, then she backed away as she started getting groggy. But then she opened her eyes and said, "Mommy, I love taking naps with you and I really do love you." Then she closed her eyes and within minutes was asleep. I laid there feeling guilty over all the times when I anxiously looked forward to her going down for a nap and realized, yet again, that moments like these won't last forever. I can't say I will take a nap with her every day, but I think I need to plan on doing it now and then, while she's still young. I am actually glad our plans got changed for the day. We probably had a more intimate time together than we would have ever had going somewhere out for lunch. Then after dinner we had cupcakes and she opened two of her gifts - a board game and a dress up dress. She put her dress on and looked so pretty and happy. Then we all played her board game together. We saved one for her to open when a few of her little friends could come over and have a play date, but that has been indefinitely postponed now. The reason for the postponement is that just as she was laying down to go to sleep tonight, she threw up. And now, almost 3 hours later, she is still getting up every 15 minutes! At least she was able to enjoy her birthday all day before getting sick. It is now a waiting game to see if the rest of us will get it. I am fairly sure Elias will be next, since he has a habit of finishing off her snacks and had just done so right before they went to bed. It is going to be a long night! She has a well-child check-up scheduled for tomorrow morning, but I guess she won't be going to it! This week has definitely not been going as planned. I am hoping that I will be okay with it and look at it as an invitation to just live my life for what it offers me at the moment. I am supposed to go to Indiana this weekend for a conference with Compassion. Between the weather and this stomach bug, I am feeling very leery about it. I am tempted just to call and tell them I can't come, but I hate canceling on anyone. I am hoping that if I do get sick, it will be before I leave for Indiana and not shortly after I arrive! I guess we will see! Well, I am finally posting this message at a little after 11 and I started it around 9:15. I have lost count of how many times I have changed Bella and her bedding. She is being a good patient through it all, but I am really hoping that she stops throwing up soon, so we all can get some sleep. I guess it is just a reminder of the sleepless nights I spent with her after she was born!