Michaela and the Birthday Girl Jenna this morningDear Jenna,
It hardly seems possible that you are five years old today... that a whole five years has passed since you decided to be quite punctual and begin arriving on your due date. Of course, many other babies decided to arrive the same day, and by the time we got the pitocin going to get labor underway- my water had already broken but nothing happened- it was the early hours of the next morning which somehow made the whole experience more hushed and magical.
You were my easiest pregnancy, my smallest baby, and my least painful delivery. I will never forget how you stared at me for hours when you were a newborn in the hospital, and everything about caring for you was like second nature and easy. I birthed you without any painkillers and I swear that I had endorphins from the birth for about two months afterwards.
And I needed them, because you were my toughest baby. By far.
But all that love and holding and nursing- Oh, the nursing! The never-ending nursing!- and soothing you needed as a baby and toddler has made you into the person you are today: strong. Strong of purpose. Strong of spirit. Strong willed, but incredibly gentle and calm and loving and sweet. I would be loathe to mess with you as an adult because I'm pretty sure you will be able to facedown anyone, anywhere. You are always watching us now, seeing how we handle things and internalizing it all. "Jenna always wants to know what's behind the curtain," your PopPop said to me once, and that is absolutely true. Every holiday you ask perfectly reasonable questions, like How can Santa really get everywhere- even to Hawaii- in one night? And How did they get Jesus down off the cross after He died? And sometimes I'm not sure how to answer you. Like your sister, your brain is always moving, always thinking.
You are a perfect example of still waters running deep. You are not the showman that Michaela is, but you are good at making friends and deeply love the kids you choose to play with. You are loyal like your Daddy and just as kind. You have shown us your sophisticated, wicked sense of humor many, many times this year, and you are really lots of fun to just hang out and laugh with. You are like a grown up in a little kid's body, an old soul who just gets it.
It is incredible to me that you are going to Kindergarten in the fall, and I can't believe the day will come when you will march down our driveway and hop onto a bus and pull away from me.
But you are so excited, so ready- you told me a few months ago that being with me in the afternoons was "kinda boring"- that I am thrilled for you to take this next step.
I feel like you will always be my right hand girl, eager to get love and hugs and snuggle with me. "I need LOVE!" you tell me a few times a week, as you lie on the couch watching SpongeBob, and I try to stop what I am doing and love you up. You told me the other day that you would still nurse if I let you, but you are okay with boundaries being set. This year you are giving up the sippy cups that are part of your morning routine and graduating to glasses for your chocolate milk and I couldn't be happier.
The first few years were tough with you, my little lady, but all worth it. Because we have a bond like no other. You brought me to the brink of craziness and we survived each other together. You are my Nenna, and I love you with every fiber of my being.
Happy Birthday!
It hardly seems possible that you are five years old today... that a whole five years has passed since you decided to be quite punctual and begin arriving on your due date. Of course, many other babies decided to arrive the same day, and by the time we got the pitocin going to get labor underway- my water had already broken but nothing happened- it was the early hours of the next morning which somehow made the whole experience more hushed and magical.
You were my easiest pregnancy, my smallest baby, and my least painful delivery. I will never forget how you stared at me for hours when you were a newborn in the hospital, and everything about caring for you was like second nature and easy. I birthed you without any painkillers and I swear that I had endorphins from the birth for about two months afterwards.
And I needed them, because you were my toughest baby. By far.
But all that love and holding and nursing- Oh, the nursing! The never-ending nursing!- and soothing you needed as a baby and toddler has made you into the person you are today: strong. Strong of purpose. Strong of spirit. Strong willed, but incredibly gentle and calm and loving and sweet. I would be loathe to mess with you as an adult because I'm pretty sure you will be able to facedown anyone, anywhere. You are always watching us now, seeing how we handle things and internalizing it all. "Jenna always wants to know what's behind the curtain," your PopPop said to me once, and that is absolutely true. Every holiday you ask perfectly reasonable questions, like How can Santa really get everywhere- even to Hawaii- in one night? And How did they get Jesus down off the cross after He died? And sometimes I'm not sure how to answer you. Like your sister, your brain is always moving, always thinking.
You are a perfect example of still waters running deep. You are not the showman that Michaela is, but you are good at making friends and deeply love the kids you choose to play with. You are loyal like your Daddy and just as kind. You have shown us your sophisticated, wicked sense of humor many, many times this year, and you are really lots of fun to just hang out and laugh with. You are like a grown up in a little kid's body, an old soul who just gets it.
It is incredible to me that you are going to Kindergarten in the fall, and I can't believe the day will come when you will march down our driveway and hop onto a bus and pull away from me.
But you are so excited, so ready- you told me a few months ago that being with me in the afternoons was "kinda boring"- that I am thrilled for you to take this next step.
I feel like you will always be my right hand girl, eager to get love and hugs and snuggle with me. "I need LOVE!" you tell me a few times a week, as you lie on the couch watching SpongeBob, and I try to stop what I am doing and love you up. You told me the other day that you would still nurse if I let you, but you are okay with boundaries being set. This year you are giving up the sippy cups that are part of your morning routine and graduating to glasses for your chocolate milk and I couldn't be happier.
The first few years were tough with you, my little lady, but all worth it. Because we have a bond like no other. You brought me to the brink of craziness and we survived each other together. You are my Nenna, and I love you with every fiber of my being.
Happy Birthday!
2 comments:
Happy 5th Birthday to one of our angels! Jenna-we love you SOOO much! Love, Gammie and Pops
Half a decade....it IS hard to believe! Jenna is well on her way to the amazing and unique adult she will become (too soon!) but there is lots more joy on that journey, and we look forward to many more blogs about sweet Nenna! Love, LW
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