Happy 9th Birthday darling granddaughter

Hard to believe how quick the years have gone, seems no time since your mummy was your age, so Happy 9th birthday to you.

You started off as a scrap of a thing, being in a hurry to get in this world, being born 10 weeks early as I mentioned here and have never really slowed down much since. The spotty cat that granddad and I bought for you when we came down to see you and mummy at less than 2 days old is in the corner of your cot in that picture.

We stayed at your house then for a few days till mummy was discharged from hospital and we took her home, leaving you behind in the SCBU at the hospital. We raffled a knitted Mr Jingles that one of my work colleagues had knitted to raise money for that baby unit to try and help other mummies and daddies whose babies like you were born early.

When you came home from hospital on January 7th granddad and I came down to help mummy and daddy out with you. Mummy wasnt use to you and you were not use to mummy or your house or any other surroundings, all you had known for 7 weeks was bright lights, noise and a clinical smell, getting you home was a shock to you all. I got to give you your first bath, and nearly lost you in amongst the bubbles we put in the bowl. This had mummy and me laughing as mummy asked me to bath you thinking you would be safer....

You had your first visit to Scotland not long after that as mummy found it difficult adjusting to having you at home by herself all day, I think only then did the shock of the trauma that had been your birth really hit her and she found it hard to cope, so granddad B drove all the  down for you and mummy and you came to stay with us.

and yes they were all yours

daddy tidying some of the rubbish before we lost you

We didnt see much of you the first year, I was busy studying at college, granddad work night shifts during the week and I worked at weekends, mummy didn't drive and daddy worked long hours as well. We were very lucky though we got to spend your first proper Christmas with you, mummy and daddy brought you to Scotland and we had a great time spoiling you silly, you have always loved being the centre of attention and you certainly were that day.

Here we are at Portencross when you were up for the summer in 2004. Not really much beach there but we had fun. Still very much a baby here.

here you are on your 2nd birthday, so quickly growing into a young lady.

the grass was higher than your wellies

and then back up the following summer running around the farm.
I wonder if you remember wandering around those barns, hunting for imaginary things with granddad?The scarecrow called Russell he made for you? or the see saws lovingly made out of logs we played on?

This picture is one that always confused you, you didn't remember having this watering can, and would not believe this was your mummy and not you, the two of you looked so alike at that age.

By the time you turned 3 you were very much a pretty little girl now, having lost a lot of your baby looks. Here you are with your best friend Martin.

When you were 31/2 your little brother came along, and boy has he turned your world upside down. I wonder if you remember naming him "flop" when mummy was pregnant with him because you wanted a baby rabbit not a brother or sister? That nickname stuck for a long time, and the poor boy was never refereed to by his proper name for a long while.

At 4 1/2 you, mummy and Bob came to live in Scotland, and moved in with grandma and granddad on the farm.  You had to get bussed to school as it was too far to walk, and here you are on your first day looking so grown up. We were just talking last week about how granddad and short dog use to stand and wave bye bye to the bus as you drove away.

For your 5th birthday we did a farm themes birthday party and told everybody to turn up warmly dressed prepared to get grubby as a lot of your party was being held outside in the barns and amongst the animals.Here you are afterwards with some of your presents.

We had a great Christmas that year with us all under the one roof, here's your brother helping the dog open presents. What a brilliant day we all had, with you Auntie T and Auntie H struggling to do a 50 piece jigsaw puzzle.

 Here you are dressed as Hannah Montana with your little brother. Look at the gap in your teeth from where you knocked out your baby ones when you were a toddler.

We have had some brilliant days out there was  M&D's in Glasgow. Grandma, Granddad and Auntie T took you and your brother. You went on every ride going I think, and we couldn't get granddad off of the bumper car.

the Irn Bru Carnival at the SECC. You and I on the ghost train, thats about my limit on things that move.

This is you last year at Frankie and Benny's for your birthday tea last year eating your favourite Spag Bol.

granddad with Lilo and Stitch

got 8 of the 9 candles.

Here you are today with your birthday cake, you had a Halloween themed party 2 weeks ago, so was just some of the family for a slice of cake tonight.
You bring me so much joy and I love having you to stay, we have great fun baking, playing games, playing on the wii, off out to parks and the beach and other such fun activities. I hope one day you will look back at postings on this blog and remember the times we have had with fondness and love.

Happy 9th birthday darling granddaughter and thank you for being you.