Pages

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Merry Christmas, Emmalyn!

Emmalyn,

You are still asleep in bed right now and I am wide awake.  It's Christmas morning!  I am treasuring this (most likely) last Christmas where everyone sleeps in but I'm about ready for the fun to start.  You are amazing.  I love spending time talking with you about Jesus' birthday, but I'll be honest.  I feel so inadequate in helping you understand the magnificence of this day, of this truth.  Sweet girl, how can I explain to you that God came to earth as a tiny baby who relied on his mother to change his diapers and nourish him.  God, who created everything, depended on a woman to nurse him when he cried.  God did that.  And more, he gave his life for us.  Darling, I pray that you understand this truth from the tips of your staticky hair to the bottom of your little toes.  Jesus came for you. 

You have been making us laugh so hard lately. You love to dance around the family room with your hands over your head, and love to entertain our family.  You are learning about pronouns right now.  The other night, as our car turned the corner to our street, you said "My house".  I said, "Yes, it's our house Emmalyn." "No, my house.  I share it with you, Mommy.  I share with Mommy and Daddy.  "  What a generous girl you are to share your house with us Emmalyn!  When you want to do something on your own, you said, "I help you, Mommy".  So say, you're climbing down the stairs, and I ask "Can I carry you?"  You reply, "No, Mommy.  I help you!"  Or you want to do something on your own. "Help you, Mommy!  Help you!"

The other day, we were shopping and an older woman called you a cutie-pie.  What trouble - the rest of the day you kept saying, "I cutie pie".  Yes, girl, you are my cutie pie.  I can't wait for you to come downstairs and make us some pie with your new kitchen - so hurry up! Merry Christmas; I love you.

Dear Amy: Merry Christmas

Dear Amy,

You are a 4.5 months old now and such a joy. Just a few days after you turned three months (on November 10), you rolled over!  You've done it once since, but really don't like to be on your belly at all.  This makes practice hard.  Somehow you still manage to squirm all over your crib, which has created a cute little bald spot on the back of your head.  Speaking of cribs, you are sleeping in yours every night instead of in that rock 'n play that we love so much.  After you transitioned to your crib, you did great.  And then, you decided to fight sleep for a while.  Every time I laid you down, you would wail as though I was laying you in a bed of needles.  As soon as I picked you up, you would hush.  I'm not going to lie - I like being able to soothe you so easily, but I'm glad you gave up that little gig.  Three hours of that every evening was a little much for me (but thanks for only making it last a week - you're amazing).

More than anything, you are SO smiley.  You respond to every voice you hear and flash the brightest grins to even strangers.  I. love. it.  You are amazing.  Along with those smiles, we are blessed with lots of baby talk.  Like me, you clearly love the sound of your own voice.  You are such a happy baby!  When I walk in your room after a whole night of sleep, you melt me with the biggest gum-bearing grins.  It makes it such a joy to take care of you.  You are starting to take quite an interest in your big sister, too!  She loves to cuddle and kiss you and you love to smile at her and often follow her around the room with your eyes.  I can't wait to see what happens when you're mobile!

Today is Christmas morning, and everyone is still asleep but me.  For Christmas, we got you an awesome gift: your toes.  You just discovered them and seem to think they are the greatest thing ever. You're welcome.  Everyone in the house is still asleep, and I am so excited it's Christmas.  There are so many more of these to come for us, and I can't wait to enjoy every one of them with our family.  More than anything, I hope that we can be the best stewards of the gift God has given us in you, in showing you Emmanual, the God who is with us and came to be with us just like you as a tiny baby.  We love you, sweet girl.