I always get really reminiscent when it is one of my kids birthdays, but for some reason, when Molly-Rose turned 7 on Sunday, I was more so than usual. Perhaps it was due to all of the stressful times we have been experiencing of late, but I really started to take a long hard look at our family and the gorgeous kids that we have been blessed with.

So much so that I went back to my old stomping grounds over at the Essential Baby website and looked up the birth story I had written just after Lolly was born. It gave me goosebumps to reread it! It was a bit weird actually as I reference my "DH" (dear husband) many times in the story, and I now have a NEW "DH". It seems like a lifetime ago that I welcomed my little Lolly into our then family! It is ironic that the stresses that Lolly's dad and I were experiencing then as a couple seem to pale into insignificance when I consider the stresses that Steve and I are facing now. If only I'd known then what the future would bring!

Anyways, I am not going to dwell any longer on this as I am trying to be optimistic and devote much less time on our blog to negative things. Sooo, I actually want to share with you all the birth story that I wrote for my little Lolly as a tribute to her 7th birthday and her entrance into this life.

Rather than post the entire thing here (it is quite long!), I will link to it, and you can decide yourselves if you wish to read it in its entirety or not. It is a very personal account of her entrance to the world and I hope that you all enjoy the read:

Molly-Rose's birth story

With her gorgeous "big girl" perfume and shampoo and conditioner from the lovely ladies at Petit:

With her cute little cup cake maker that her Daddy sent to her:

Lolly showing us her "action girl" moves with her punching bag from Granpa Reg & Grandma Sally:

Still the action girl but with Jaimyn observing in the background and Zali chucking a tantrum as "me want to punch too!":

Blowing out the candles, careful Lolly, don't BURN THE HAIR!! note to self: never attempt to make a "turtle" birthday cake 20 mins before the grandparents arrive. The results are disastrous!

(...and why would she request a turtle for a cake anyways?!?):

Ever the poser...

You can see her gorgeous Thula Thula shorts from Love Mum here too:

Lolly is such a cheeky little sod, but you can't help but love her spunk!

You may be interested to know that Molly-Rose's two birthday "requests" were for

• a) a punching bag and boxing gloves and
• b) a metal detector!

Well, her Granpa Reg bought her the bag/gloves, and we managed to scrape together for the metal detector. She was one VERY excited little girl, and not a Barbie or fairy in sight! Lolly is a self-proclaimed "action girl" and despite her pretty long hair, she is one of the most UN-girly girls I have ever met!

Boy does she go hell-for-leather on that punching bag - I hope it is a good one cause if it isn't, I don't think it will last for long with her kicks and punches! As for the metal detector, well, she hasn't made her fortune yet but we do have a growing pile of a very motley collection of nuts and bolts and bits of tin that she has found in the bush behind our house!