Jumping Bella Bean

We all know busy as life can get, there has to be times when it's important to slow your roll and just relax...let your hair down...and just be.  It's just as important when you're two years old to give those little legs a rest...although sometimes thinking outside the box is a boon when down time is required needed by a very tired mommy.

You could use this time to catch up on correspondence and see what happening in blogland.  You might even happen on something about you in your meanderings.

You could look at lunch time as chill time.  Just hangin' and lookin' cool doing it...even though Mommy is saying "EAT!".

What Mommy doesn't understand is you have other plans for a light nosh later on.

You could catch a little sun and work on a baby tan....if Mommy would quit slathering you with SPF 30!  Nothing like a little skinny dipping to get that all-over, even tan you've been working on all summer!

Funny thing...bath time is never the same as pool time, even though both call for H2O.  After a little scrub-a-dub-dub in a lavender bubble bath...one always ends up just a tad sleepy.  Hmmm...wonder if this is what Mommy had in mind?

Then there is the chance of getting wrapped up in something really engrossing.  Maybe even a little hide and seek, with you doing the hiding and Mommy doing the seeking...that is until you fall asleep waiting to be found.  Hmmm...am I seeing a pattern here?

It's important to stay on top of things, lest one ends up in the doghouse and Mommy throws away  swallows hides the key.

Ah music to soothe the savage beast...or at least the little hellion precious baby.

When you are the precious baby, you can float along and get away with anything.  You can also be blessed with not one, not two, but three birthdays a year...the day you were due, July 4th...the day you were delivered four months early, March 12th...and the day you came home from the hospital, August 8th.  That's the date your Nana loves to celebrate.  On that day, my precious darling...your journey that began with your fragile, tiny body being delivered March 12th ended. God had finished preparing you and you were perfect in every way, ready to come home to waiting hearts and arms.  

It's awe inspiring to look at these photos of you Bella knowing God held your fragile heart in His hands from the beginning...just as you held us by our hearts.

~For you created my inmost being: You knit me in my mother's womb.~Psalms 139:13

~By you I was clothed with skin and flesh and joined together with bone and muscle.~Job 10:11

I will never forget the day I held you in my arms for the first time.  You hooked by lines to me and me hooked to you by love.

~He shall cover thee with His feathers and under His wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.~Psalms 91:4

When God had finished all the details of your creation and whispered to the doctors "It is time for her to leave the hospital"...We were waiting with open arms.

~Thou has granted me life and favor, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.~Job 10:12

Each hurdle was faced with belief that God had a plan for you and would help you to overcome each health obstacle that arose.

~Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.~Hebrews 11:1 

Awed to watch you get stronger, bigger, and more beautiful with each passing day. Wishing time to stand still...but knowing it cannot...leaving us to hang on to your dress-tail for dear life for fear of missing a single step, word, laugh...or tear.

~For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.~Ephesians 2:10

Celebrating the joy of being allowed the privilege of watching God's hands as they continue to mold and perfect you while keeping you safe in your life's journey.

~For we live by faith, not by sight.~II Corinthians 5:7

As we celebrate your birthday month after month Bella, know that we are eternally grateful to God for you and the blessings He has poured out on this family.  There aren't words enough to say thank you to Him who created you or for the joy you have brought to our lives.

~I always thank God for you because of His grace given you in Jesus Christ.~I Corinthians 1:4

Happy (third time's the charm) second birthday our beautiful baby Bella Bean.

~I will sing of the Lord's great love forever; with my mouth I will make Your faithfulness known through all generations.~Psalms 89:1