happy birthday!

Posted: October 21, 2010 at 11:35 am

Two years ago today, at exactly the time I set this post to publish (11:35 am – because I’m sentimental like that and already crying), I welcomed this little blessing into my world.

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The happiest moment of my life came when I married the perfect man for me and committed to creating our lives together. Part of that creation came in the miracle of Makenzie. October 21, 2008 was my proudest day and, each day since, that feeling has not let go. It’s always somewhere down in there as I watch us grow and learn together.

Over the past two years so much has changed. I have become more selfless, having to put another’s needs before my own. I have become more loving. How could you not when you feel your heart about to explode? I have become more attentive to caring for my own self (my faith, my body, my attitude), as I hope to be the best example to little M as possible. I have certainly experienced life a bit more fully since she entered it and I pray her experience so far has been a good one too.

We have laughed

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We have played

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We have eaten

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We have swung….LOTS!

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We have made new friends

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We have discovered new things and encountered fun adventures

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We have overcome obstacles (yours = getting out of your swaddle, mine = getting through the biggest scare of my life)

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…and YOU, my sweet child, have grown into a lovely little girl with a personality bigger than this world. I love you immensely.

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Happy 2nd Birthday, Makenzie! Thank you for all the joy you have brought to my life.

  • I have to ask…what gets you all emotional? Apparently my kiddo’s birthday starts me a’blubbering like a fool. But she deserves every happy tear I just shed. 🙂 I hope you all have a GREAT day!

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69 Comments to “happy birthday!”
  1. She looks like she has such a big personality–those HUGE smiles are the cutest thing ever.

    Happy Birthday to lil M. I’m so happy I’ve been able to see her grow these past 2 years. Can’t wait for my own someday!

    • Tina says:

      It’s so strange to think how some of you have literally been around watching her grow from day one with me. 🙂

  2. Robyn says:

    Neat post Tina. Love the picts!

  3. Awww, great pictures!!! Happy birthday to your little lady!

  4. this is beautiful, Tina…

    Happiest Birthday to that adorable little one…

    <3

  5. Heather says:

    I cannot believe that M is 2 already!!!! I remember being afraid she was going to be born while I was on vacation but you had her before we left 🙂

    Now she’s 2 & I’m heading to Orlando again! haha

    Much love to you both!

  6. Awww happy birthday to M! So cute!

  7. Such a BEAUTIFUL post Tina! M is such an adorable little girl and she is lucky to have a Mommy like YOU! Wishing her the best 2nd birthday EVER!

  8. Mandy says:

    Happy birthday sweet M. We <3 you!

    • Tina says:

      How did our babies get to be TWO? And they both already look so much bigger than that picture of them together. Gah!

  9. I love all your memories!

    This is such a beautiful post… it even got me teary eyed!

    Happy Birthday to M 🙂

  10. Becca says:

    Oh bless her – she is adorable! Happy birthday, Makenzie!

    Me? I cry over anything, but my biggies are father-of-the-bride speeches, cancer charity adverts and thinking about my puppy getting old. Yeah, I’m a baby!

  11. Nic says:

    I love that last photo! She is a charming young girl! It looks like you bring her as much happiness as she brings to you!

  12. Wonderful, beautiful! Bless that gorgeous girl! Happy Birthday Makenzie!

    What gets me? Thoughts of my husband and the life I want to have with him, my family, seeing an old friend, puppy anything (especially those gosh darn commercials!), giving greatly to others.

    To name a few 😉

  13. Oh Tina, I LOVE this post! Now I feel all emotional, what a beautiful little girl you have xx

  14. Happy birthday Makenzie!!!! What a beautiful little girl with a gorgeous smile. You are so blessed!!

  15. Angela says:

    Awww Happy Birthday Mackenzie!!! She is adorable Tina, and you are an amazing mother. I hope you show it to her when she is old enough to be able to read it.

  16. Sarah says:

    Happy Birthday to Little M!! She is such ad adorable little girl and she’s incredibly lucky to have such a wonderful mother like you 🙂 Hope your entire family has a wonderful day!!

  17. Do they get any cuter than Makenzie?? I just want to snuggle her 🙂 Happy birthday M!

  18. Lauren says:

    So sweet 🙂 What a blessing! Hope M has a wonderful birthday 🙂

  19. Your babygirl is so precious! Totally and completely adorable. Hope its the best birthday 🙂

  20. She is so cute…she is such a happy baby. Happy Birthday little darling.

    I get emotional talking about my family and I have a really soft spot for my niece Jazzy. I can’t wait to have my own kids soon but for now, I pretend she is my kid.

    You learn so much spending time with kids her age.

  21. Holly says:

    Awww….Happy Birthday, sweet Makenzie! I hope your second birthday is the best one yet! 😉

  22. Katie Smothers says:

    Happy Birthday Makenzie! This is a great post…

  23. Jess says:

    She is so adorable!

  24. I love this! Happy Birthday to Makenzie! She’s adorable. 🙂

    I get emotional over EVERYTHING lately. Commercials, movies, tv, books, songs, basically everything but my own life. Its weird.

  25. It looks like you have every reason to get emotional. What a fun two years and an ADORABLE little girl. 🙂

  26. Oh love this post!!! Happy happy birthday to Miss M!

  27. She is so sweet. I think it will be great that she can look back on this when she is older. You are truly blessed Tina!

  28. […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Tina Reale, Tina Reale. Tina Reale said: happy birthday!: Two years ago today, at exactly the time I set this post to publish (11:35 am – because I’m senti… http://bit.ly/cy3vAL […]

  29. Lindsay says:

    Happy Birthday M!! I hope that you and your family celebrate the day like the special day it is. I also wanted to let you know that the cookies should be there today and I hope you get to enjoy the cookies this time!! 🙂

  30. Happy Birthday M! 🙂

    I get all blubbery all the time: thinking about my nieces/nephew, my future kids, being with Jason for the rest of my life (crying in a good way!!), commercials about abused animals…

  31. MsB.Plan says:

    Happy birthday to your little one.

  32. Cheryl says:

    Hi!Thanks for stopping by!!!
    how adorable is she!!! OMG 2 yrs old was a great great time…5 is pretty great too..I cannot imagine what my twins will be like at 2..I may need to clone myself for the extra set of hands!
    Anything related to kids makes me a blubbery mess. I got emotional at parent teacher today when my son’s teacher told me he was chosen for the math enrichment program….a math nerd like me!! Our kids are ours for so few years…that alone makes me cry!

    • Tina says:

      That can make me cry too. They really do grow so fast. It seems so cliche when people say that to you all the time as a new parent, but when you think about it….its like WOW! They really do grow so fast!

  33. Sarah says:

    This is an absolutely beautiful post. I’m sure there aren’t too many dry eyes reading it.

  34. Cynthia says:

    What wonderful pictures! Little M is so cute. I think my uterus just skipped a beat. 🙂

  35. She is so lucky to have a mom like you! I don’t know if I told you this, but her and her little brother are going to be exactly the same age difference as me and my younger brother. Marshall and I are insanely close and we’ve always thought we were the “perfect” distance apart in age

  36. kathleen says:

    makenzie. what a cute name! she’s adorable.

  37. Happy birthday to your beautiful girl! Thanks now I’m crying! 🙂 Moms = emotional messes. Right? 😉

  38. Sara says:

    Oh my gosh! I love cute picture posts. Happy Birthday, Little M! So beautiful. Such great memories! When one of my pets are sick (I don’t have kids yet!) I get emotional. When Buffy put her leg through the living room window, I blubbered like a baby, gathered her blood in my hand and tried to shield her from any further harm. Then I called my husband blubbering like an idiot. He thought someone died. When I took Jasper to the vet and they told me it was a good thing I brought him in–I almost panicked and cried, but I was OK. When Medlin’s eye was bleeding, I flipped OUT! She was so miserable and unhappy. And see? This is just pets! I know when I have children I will probably not stop crying. It’ll be a mix of amazing, happy, wonderful, joyous, sad when they’re hurt, happy when something great happens. Ah, just joy! Have a great day!

    • Tina says:

      Yea..the emotions run ALL over the place as a parent. It’s never a dull day that’s for sure. And your poor pup. I would have freaked and gotten emotional too.

  39. Becca says:

    Happy birthday to little M! THey grow up so stinkin fast!

  40. Camille says:

    Now you have me tearing up a little bit 🙂
    Happy birthday to your sweet little girl.

  41. Happy Birthday Cutest Girl Ever.

  42. Katy says:

    What an adorable, sweet little girl! She is so precious! 🙂 Happy birthday to her! 🙂

  43. Shannon says:

    I have had no time to comment since my little guy was born (although I’m reading), but I needednto comment on this post. haapynbirthday to yourbdarling girl. Whatnanlife changing moment when that new life joins the family. Tomorrow is Noah’s one month birthday…I want to cry thinking about how quickly he is going to grow!

  44. Lee says:

    Happy Birthday Makenzie!!

  45. Shannon says:

    I missed this post this morning.

    Happy birthday little M. You are a wonderful gift. Have a beautiful special day.

  46. Aww! Happy Birthday little M! Such a beautiful girl – let her eat cake!

  47. Loriana says:

    So precious! You get to be just as sentimental as you wish 🙂

  48. Emily says:

    Such a wonderful post for such a wonderful day! Happiest birthday wishes for little M. 🙂

  49. homecookedem says:

    Awwwwwwwwwww, Happy Birthday to your sweetie pie!! She is such a precious little girl!! 🙂 My friend at work’s baby girl turned 1 year today and she was crying all day long!! 🙂

  50. awww she’s so yummy! happy terrible two’s haha :p i seem to get emotional whenever i watch a meaningful Oprah orsome of those ‘special’ segments on a talk show…gets me every time

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