loml

one

Five years later
August 20th, 2019

"Mommy mommy wake up!" I was woken by a sudden pressure on my back and groaned, blinking my eyes open to see my daughter climbing all over me like a monkey, which she so often did.

"Hi munchkin." I smiled tiredly, glancing over at the clock as she burrowed underneath the duvet, snuggling up against my chest. Realizing the time, I groaned and looked down at my daughter. "Poppy Marjorie Swift, it's six o'clock in the morning!" I ruffled her blonde hair with a disgruntled sigh. "What are you waking Mommy up so early for?"

"Today is special Mommy!" Poppy insisted, peeking up at me as the smile dropped from her face. "Did you forget?"

"Why is it special munchkin?" I teased, and she pouted at me. "Oh I'm just kidding." I cuddled my daughter close and kissed her forehead. "Of course I remembered! Happy birthday my beautiful girl. I love you so so much."

Poppy giggled happily, wriggling to sit up next to me. She'd been counting down to her birthday for ages, reminding me how many sleeps she had left every single night when I tucked her into bed. I sighed as I moved her hair behind her ear, wondering how my little baby had grown up so fast. She was turning five today, and it felt like only yesterday I'd been taking the pregnancy test that had changed my life for the better.

"Can we have pancakes?" Poppy asked hopefully, and I nodded.

"You want chocolate chips as well?"

"Yes!" She cried, clapping her hands together as she grinned from ear to ear. Chocolate chips in pancakes were her favorite special treat.

"Okay munchkin, birthday pancakes coming right up." 

I scooped Poppy up into my arms, cuddling her close as I got to my feet and carried her out of my bedroom. Tears filled my eyes as took her into the kitchen, really realizing how much she'd grown up without me noticing. My baby was no longer a baby. Blinking my tears away, I placed Poppy on the counter where she liked to sit when she was helping me in the kitchen since she wasn't quite tall enough to reach if she was on the ground.

"I have something very special for you munchkin." I chucked her chin gently as I reached up to the top cupboard, taking down the little crown I'd stashed up there a few days ago. "For the birthday princess." I told my daughter, placing it on her head. She giggled, lifting her hands to touch the sparkly crown. Poppy was deep into a princess phase at the moment, so I knew she'd love it.

"Thank you Mommy." She grinned, and I kissed her nose. She scrunched it at me like she always did, and I did it back. We giggled, smiling.

Poppy helped me to make chocolate chip pancakes, delighted when I assembled her a plate and stuck a candle into the top. She'd have a cake later, but there was no rule that said you couldn't blow out two candles on your birthday. We sang happy birthday together and she blew out her candle, scrunching her nose up as she made a wish. I took a photo, wanting to preserve this memory forever. 

"Mommy why are you crying?" Poppy asked me as we ate our pancakes at the table.

"Because you're growing up too fast munchkin." I told her, quickly wiping my eyes.

"I'm a big girl now!" She told me matter-of-factly. 

"Yes, you are." I wiped a smudge of chocolate away from the corner of her lips with a sad smile. "But I remember when you were a little baby in Mommy's tummy. Mommy's just sad that time is going by so fast."

"Mommy can I see pictures of when I was a little baby?"

"Sure munchkin, I'll show you after breakfast." I nodded.