The Joy of Grace

Birthday Blessings Aug 27

Yesterday was my 27th birthday and my first one as a mom. I realized that being a mom really does change your mindset. When I went birthday shopping on Saturday, trying on dresses that were a bit too snug and shirts that just didn't look quite right (my body has definitely changed too), all I could think about was that cute smocked dress that would look absolutely precious on Savannah.  

I must brag on my little girl because she helped to make my birthday extra special.  I heard her little "oohs, aahs, and haahs" that morning beginning around 5:30 am. When I heard those sweet sounds again, I was wonderfully surprised when I looked down at the clock and it said 8:07, which is a whole hour later than she usually beckons me.  When I anxiously went into  her room to get her as I had not held her in over 15 hours (my parents babysat the night before), she was jumping around in her bed, giving me that toothless grin (almost toothless...she actually has her two bottom teeth coming in) she usually greets me with in the morning.  Then, at lunch, Savannah spent the whole time on Aaron's dad's (aka Papa Boe) shoulder, lounging there with her big brown eyes fixated on the jazz band that played ever so loudly in the background.  I looked at Aaron and said:  "Do you think she's sick?"  Although she is pretty good in restaurants, she has not "lounged" on our shoulders since she was  7 weeks old. And, she usually wiggles in our arms making a leisurely lunch a bit impossible, although I've become extremely talented at eating one-handed while holding her. Her sweetness kept flowing.  That night she gave me the blessing of  placing her head on my shouder, sucking her thumb, and lulling herself to sleep.  

So often during the day as I'm giving Savannah a little squeeze or hearing her belly laugh or soothing her cries, I'll breath a prayer to the Lord telling Him how thankful I am for this little girl.  And, yesterday, on my 27th birthday, those same prayers rose to the Father.  So, although she cannot sing "Happy Birthday, dear Mommy" yet, she said those words over and over again  by just being sweet Savannah.  She totally deserves that smocked dress, don't you think?