At this moment (0056) eleven years ago, I became a momma for the first time. It was a rocky road to here, a rocky pregnancy, and a rocky (and insanely fast) delivery. She was such an intense baby who would go from 0-10 in 3.7 seconds, and not much has changed there. Her delivery was similar. I was induced- admitted overnight, with an expectation of delivery around 7 am. The medicine used to ‘soften’ my cervix sent me into precipitous labor and I literally went from 3-10 in what felt like 3.7 seconds. Ha! I will never forget the feeling I had when the nurse (doctor? Hmm, I do forget this detail) said “Oh no- you aren’t getting something for nausea or an epidural. You’re a 10!). I had two second flashbacks of the Friends episode- “We”re sorry, your window for an epidural has closed.” “Break the window!!!!” After the initial moment of panic, I thought let’s do this! I’ve seen this exact response to life in you.
You are so brave, even though you can be a scaredy bear. You do such hard things and make them look easy. You have failed and tried again. You have sang solos in front of auditoriums full of people. You have done cartwheels on a beam 4 inches wide. You took on a new sport with girls twice your size and didn’t quit when it was hot or hard. You love twirly dresses and can probably count on one hand the days you’ve worn jeans in your life. You love animals and bugs and lizards and frogs. You love to read (and are SO fast at it). You love science and history. You know every single word to every single song of Hamilton (yes, even the bad ones). You’ve rode every ride at Six Flags and Disney World you are tall enough to ride, and are assertive enough to let us know that one time is enough for you. 😂 You’ve been to Disney 4 times, and celebrated your 10th birthday in the Magic Kingdom. You’ve flown in an airplane and we’re so excited and so brave- and had to be super independent because your sister was oh so loudly protesting her first flight. You jumped head and heart first with our family’s adoption journey, and were prepared to love whatever baby God planned for our family. You truly experienced and understood the whole adoption triad- and I will never forget you saying when we left the hospital after meeting Ava Kate for the first time “I’m going to pray for B’s (AK’s birthmomma) heart, because this must be so hard for her.”
At one point you wanted to be a artist/farmer/veterinarian (yes all at the same time- and you’d worked out the details) because you were terrified of fire alarms and this would allow you to do what you love in a space without fire drills 🤦🏻♀️. This hasn’t changed a ton, as you told your daddy the other day you wanted to be an artist. I have no doubt whatever path you choose, you will not be put in a box and you will create beautiful things that point to a beautiful God who created you. I pray that as we officially enter the tween years that you remember we are on your team and will fight for you every step of the way. I don’t expect them to be easy, because you are a lot of wonderful things- but easy has never, ever been one of them. I pray God uses your intensity, independence, compassion and creativity to change the world and make it a better place. You are loved beyond measure by so many! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Sydney! ❤️
The Brooks Family 