One Little Girl

This last week we celebrated the second birthday of my granddaughter, Leah. I can't believe she is already two! She has learned so much in two years. Her vocabulary is exploding right now - every day she says something new.

She has been such a blessing to our family and to Roger and me. For Roger, she is kind of a second chance. He was working so hard to support his family when our kids were little that he has very little memory of them as infants and toddlers. He is really enjoying his time with Leah.

I find that I am much more patient at this stage of my life. I determined before she was born that I would never yell at her or allow myself to be impatient with her for any reason. I knew I would regret that if it happened. I want her to remember me as being kind and loving to her.

I am less busy at this season of life and can sit for hours and read books and play with toys and stop in parking lots to point to birdies and flowers and "whoof whoofs." I can take the time to stop at the herb aisle and let her smell every one of them. Or let her taste samples of every kind of fruit or cheese that they are giving out at Central Market. I can take her to the playground and let her "lide" and "ing" until she is tired and ready to go. I can watch the same episode of Sesame Street over and over again because it is her favorite.

When she wakes up prematurely from a nap and cries, I can sit and rock her for more than an hour and just hold her, pray for her, sing to her, and hope that I will remember what it feels like to do this because I know what's coming in the future. A day will come when she won't want to come to my house to see me - she would rather do things with her friends. She will think of me as that "stinky old lady that my Mom makes me visit." Oh, I know she will love me then, but now she really likes being with me.

I love it when I say I need a kiss and she "makes out" with me and the kiss lasts for several seconds. I love it when she says its "Nana's turn" or when she is going somewhere and she turns to me and says "Nana, too." Walking down the street with her holding my hand is such a thrill to me.

I love it when we are in the car and I play her music and she says "Nana, hing!" I love it when she is eating lunch and she says "ummy!" And my heart melts when I say "Nana loves Leah" and she says (with great thought to put all the words together) "Allah yuv Nana."

Ever since Allison told me she was pregnant I and many of my friends have been praying that she would get to stay home with Leah and be a full-time wife and mommy. Not because I didn't want to take care of Leah, but because I knew that it would be Allison who would miss out on so many hours with her. God in His goodness has answered that prayer! At the end of the school year, Allison will officially be a SAHM!

Roger and I are so happy for her! This is the way it should be. But Roger will miss seeing her every morning, taking her out to see the "whoof whoofs" and the "beebees" and the "hun and moon." I will miss spending my days with my precious baby. But I know that my time of raising children is over and now it is Allison's turn. This is how it should be.

The other night after Leah's family party at our house, Justin's Dad said "it is amazing how one little girl can make so many people happy." She has made our whole family very happy. Thank You, Father, for this great gift to our family!
Happy Birthday, Leah Rose!

Love,
Nana