November 7

Nothing says "Happy Birthday" quite like chocolate cupcake in between the toothums. Just ask friends, Shane and Leon.

She spent her birthday morning at the Botanical Gardens. She spent her birthday afternoon napping. She spent her birthday evening eating a big bowl of ravioli (and even being sung to in Italian!).

And she spent her birthday night eating a cupcake under the stars with her best buddy, Fiona.

Two years ago, 4:00am today, I woke up to go to the bathroom, as pregnant women do often. I thought nothing of it, as I felt no contractions or pain. But much like in the movies or on television, my water broke all over the bathroom floor, a good sign that she was ready for us.

I woke Terry up with the same "let's go" grin I had given him two years earlier after the exact same scenario happened on our bedroom floor. (Boy am I glad neither apartments had carpet.) We called my parents so that they would meet us at the hospital to pick up Fiona. And we packed our still only child into her carseat.

I couldn't wait to have another Fiona. I remembered all the details of Fiona's birth as we approached the hospital, and I was getting more and more excited. I anticipated the same features as Fi, the same expression as Fi, the same smell as Fi, and all the same emotions that came with Fi. But, the moment I delivered Neve I knew she was different from her sister. I loved her as much as I loved Fiona the day she was born (something I was scared I wouldn't feel), but in such a different way. Holding Neve in my arms felt like I was holding the newest member of our family, whereas holding your firstborn for the first time can feel more like holding an alien than a baby. I wasn't scared. I wasn't nervous. I was completely in love, and I knew she was Neve.

The other greatest chapter of my life- Neve Rosalie White, November 7, 2005.

Happy Birthday, Nevey!