Baby's First Christmas

Dearest Anna,

We had such a gray, gloomy fall.  So when the sun finally sent streams of light into our living room the past couple of days, you noticed.  You can't crawl yet, but you can pull yourself around, and you went after those rays of sunshine streaming on the floor.  You tried to touch them, pat them, and capture them, only to find that you could not latch on.

Life can be like that.  Oh, life can throw us some hard times.  You will one day leave the magic of childhood and discover that life isn't so easy.  It sends us more dreary weather days than cheery ones.  But, it does give us rays of sunshine.  I want you, dear girl, to always do what you tried to do today.  Reach out and grab hold of those rays.  Never stop looking for them. Sometimes, they like to hide.  And though you can't physically touch them, you can let them warm your soul.

As I wait for Christmas in two days, I marvel at the gift of YOU.  Daddy and I like to joke that you were our Valentine's gift to each other, being born just one day before.  Last year at Christmas, I dreamed of you, even getting your stocking and hanging it up.  My own dear mama bought you two ornaments with your name on them, that we put on the tree as we waited for you.

Now you are here!  The girl we dreamed of for years is here to celebrate the wonderful holiday with us!  I dreamed of you for almost my whole life!  When I was a little girl, I wanted a little sister so badly.  I had a big sister, but I had the desire to nurture and be a mini mommy even back then.  When I realized I was to remain the youngest, my thoughts turned toward a daughter as the years went by.  The idea to name you Anna came to me when I was fairly young.  I'm not even sure of the age.  With my middle name being Ann and my last name containing "anna", well, it felt right.  At my baby shower last year, I remember telling my aunts "It's always been with me."  Not just the name, but the dream of YOU.

The Anna in the Bible, in Luke 2, is a special lady, a prophetess who waited for the coming of Christ for years.  I remember standing in the bookstore with your daddy when we were dating, and I looked up and saw "Anna" on those Scripture name cards that used to be so popular.  I wasn't looking through them at all; something else had my attention at the moment.  But I looked up and saw "Anna".  The God of the Universe stopped me in my tracks, and He whispered to me that I would have a daughter with that name.  

It sounds weird to say such a thing.  But I know He spoke to me.  I can't even say He has ever spoken to me like that again, in that same way.  Over the years, when our dream of you seemed to be getting snuffed out and all but buried, the memory of that day still lingered with me.  

This year, we rejoice that you are with us!  Oh, it is clear you are, in fact, no angel sent down in the form of a baby.  Your personality is starting to form, and you have already proven yourself to be a sinner, just like the rest of us.  (Putting you on the changing table these days is evidence of that!)  But you are ours!  You are the girl we waited for.  You are the girl we wanted for so, so long.  

Dearest girl, I am so happy to be your mama!  I am not perfect or even close.  I can give you a dreadfully long list of my flaws any day of the week.  But, I will tell you when I am wrong.  I will tell you I am sorry.  I will ask for your forgiveness.  That is what love does.  And I pray we will form a strong bond as we both follow after God.

I will not dictate your life or tell you what to dream.  But, I will encourage you to go after the dreams God gives you.  I will tell you to chase after the sunshine like you did today.  Don't let the seeming impossibilities stop you.  If God has put something on your heart to do, then do it.  Follow Him all your days.  Whatever you do, don't stop dreaming your God-given dreams.

You are here because we couldn't let go of the dream that God gave us.

I love you forever and always.

Merry Christmas, my daughter.

Love,

Mama

Story behind this little Skye, the pink Paw Patrol puppy:

My mom had bought Caleb the Marshall Paw Patrol puppy years ago.  He liked firemen, so it was perfect.  We bought all of the figurines and trucks, minus the girl ones.  Still, he loved his little stuffed animal best.  We happened to be at a mall a couple of years ago, in a bookstore that sold quite a number of toys.  Caleb noticed this little Skye, just like his Marshall, and picked her up. It seemed like he wanted me to get her, but I remember telling him we had no girls at home, and it looked like she'd belong best to a little girl.

As we left the store, I couldn't help but feel like she was supposed to come with us.  At the time, there didn't seem to be a reason...

This Christmas, she was one of the first presents I purchased.

Enough said!

All Caleb Wants For Christmas...

 

is his two front teeth, of course!

Caleb lost one of his two front teeth four days ago, and I thought to myself, if that other one comes out, he's going to have to sing that old song!  Then, two days ago, he told me his other front tooth was loose!  I said to myself, "I knew it!", and so took to YouTube to find some kids singing that song for Christmas to show Caleb.

So, we're gonna make him sing the chorus, and of course, we're going to capture it all on video.  The timing is PERFECT.  

In the background here, that small photo is Caleb at 6 months old!  (And please don't blame me if the ornaments are all haphazard.  I am the mother of two little boys.)

In life, you've got to get excited about the little things, or else, why bother?  And my son losing his two front teeth at Christmas is a wonderfully fun thing to celebrate!

Anna: 10 Months

Our Anna Lynn is cruising right along, and here we are at 10 months.  I had a little chat with her today, and told her in no uncertain terms that she is growing entirely too fast, and simply must slow down!  

She's getting close to being on-the-move!  She's not crawling yet, but she is increasingly getting on her belly more and more, and she is maneuvering around on her arms.  Her knees need to catch up with her arms, but it is clear we need to make sure we are keeping a good eye on her.  She is having much fun taking things off the coffee table, much to big brother Caleb's horror.  You see, Caleb has things just so on the coffee table, spread out as he likes and how his mind understands, and little sister is messing everything up.

I have warned him that this day would come.  Anna is a baby headed for toddlerhood, and we all know how toddlers turn the earth upside down.  He can't stand anyone messing with his stuff.  I can't even have my living room the way I want it!  As much as he loves his little sister, even her cuteness can't take away his upset.

Oh, dear!  I'm not sure how we'll get through the days ahead.

Anna is excitedly studying everything around her and always looking for something to get her hands on.  But, she's still a mama's girl.  Sometimes I just have to walk by, and she starts to cry, realizing suddenly that I'm not holding her at the moment.  Never mind the fact that we are hardly separated at all, save for a quick trip I make to the grocery store on the weekend.  

She's turning pages in books we read, which is very exciting!  She might not always be consistent, or she might be ahead of my voice, but no matter.  She understands what to do, at least!  

Anna's naps have suddenly taken a turn for the worst, and I'm not sure how to fix it.  She has been having terribly short naps the past few days, and short naps make for one fussy baby.  Her overnight sleep is good, and success there is due to the fact that we moved out of our room to sleep on an air mattress in the living room.  She just couldn't sleep through the night as long as I was right there next to her, so we had to take some drastic measures.  I miss my bed already.  I might try to go back at some point, but for right now, we both need a bit of separation.  (Just a little!)  

She loves it when I sing to her, and it is fun to see her get all excited when I start.  She might be sitting on the floor, and I approach her slowly, singing a line at a time, and her arms and legs start going!  One of my favorites is "Sugar, oh, honey honey.  She is my candy girl, and she's got me wanting her."  She absolutely loves it, but Caleb gets mad at me, because we don't eat candy (unhealthy) and he complains that I am calling her candy, which is gross.  I laughed out loud the first time he said that!  I have taught him well, then.  

I have had so much fun shopping for Anna for Christmas!  After shopping for two boys, buying things for my girl has been a real treat!  Brian and I are so excited for her first Christmas!  Oh, we know she very likely won't care a fig for her gifts, and she'll enjoy the wrapping paper and bows so much more!  We will enjoy watching her!

Anna has five teeth now, and she's already wearing a lot of 18-month clothes.  We have a few things we are finishing up in 12 months, but we are thankful for Brian's coworker who passed on some 18 month hand-me-downs to us!

Oh, how we love her!  It is such a joy to have a baby in the house again!  (I didn't say it was easy!)  Sometimes, it is so wonderful to look at the world through a baby's eyes!  And hers are the prettiest shade of blue and a wonder to behold!

Dear Anna-Girl, we are so happy to see your stocking hanging up and ornaments with your name on the tree.  YOU are the best gift of 2020, and one of the three best gifts of our lives!  We love you immensely!