Happy Birthday, Dino Princess!

Jasmine Elizabeth

Princess

of Dinosaurs!

Today, 4 years ago, we welcomed our little girl into this world. She was just as adorable as can be. 10 tiny toes. 10 tiny fingers. I was very nervous to be bringing a daughter into our family! I knew how important my role as a parent would be, to her.  Althought important to Greyson (our 18 month old son), I knew that the same sex parent is the most important role model to a child. After all, I had heard Dr Phil say that over and over and over!

Its funny to me, to look back on how having a little girl has changed... ME.  Before the birth of this little girl, her mommy:

• Never wore pink - it just was too "girly" of a color for me. One of my earliest memories was of not liking pink. I only liked purple. That was as "girly" as I would get.
• I didn't own much jewelry. That girly stuff was for everyone else. I was too busy working, hiking, singing karoke and living life to worry about putting on some jewelry. Plus it was really just irritating to wear; always getting in my way.
• I was in the boyz club. I hung out with the boyz and didn't have many girlfriends. They were always caddy and mean, anyway.

Here came this little princess and I decided "If I'm going to have a girl, I better start acting like a girl."  So, here I am world... 4 years later. Just as prissy as can be. I wonder how my life would have been different if it were just me and my 2 boys. It would have been less complex; but it would not have been so pretty.  And it's definitely MUCH different than I had imagined!

My little princess Jasmine is completely enamorated by dinosaurs, worms, bugs, dragons, snakes and any other imaginable creature (that a princess would hate).  She is excited for Halloween. So much that she's excited for her birthday to be over... so Halloween can come. She knows exactly what she wants.      and      What she doesn't want.  Like dolls for instance.  She pushes them away, like they are some... um... lizzard or dinosaur! 

She's the one person in our family who will turn away a diet soda and say "I don't want soda, my body needs water." But yet, she absolutely incists on pizza for breakfast. She knows what she wants... and what she doesnt want and I dare you to give her different.

Today was Jasmine Day

She chose to goto SAM's Club for pizza at 10:00 am.  While we were in SAM's Club (where she was able to be in charge) and she chose to grocery shop.  She made some very thoughtful food purchases: chips, Nestle Quik, granola bars, etc. We asked her if she would like to go look at the toys. She said "We don't need toys, we need food." When we were picking out her birthday cake and came across the Disney Princess page, she said: "I do NOT want a princess cake. I want a Dinosaur cake." The closest to a dinosaur cake I could find was Barney. She made me proud by saying, "I don't like that silly purple dinosaur."

This life would be unimaginable without our little Jasmine. Her influence has made me a better person, she has softened my heart and reminds me that my words impact others by telling me: "mom, you broke my heart to pieces".  She has a little bit of girl, a lot of boy and a lot of heart.  She is the messiest person in this house--and I love her for it! (no sarcasm implied) She cares for our dogs and makes sure we care for them! She will sneak food to feed her toys and plays with strips of toilet paper--like they are dragonflies, frogs and snakes. She has a creativity that is amazing to me. I just love watching her play.

We are on the edge of our seats to see what this little one will do next.
I thank God for the gift of Jasmine.
I always will.... (I think)

Happy Birthday, Dino Princess Jasmine!
Love, Mommy