Telling Hannah about herself

"Once upon a time there was little girl named Hannah.  She was a sweet little baby with dark brown hair and lovely starry brown eyes that lit up with her big beautiful smile.  She had the smoothest baby skin of all babies in the world and she had a pair of cute little ears that stuck out just a little on the side of her head.  She always hopped when she was happy, hopped up and down on her bum.  Her signature dance move was the ever popular vigorous head shake that would rock her body back and forth.  If you looked closely when she was doing this you could catch a glimpse of that big beautiful smile and squinty brown eyes that told you she thought she was the funniest person in the world!  There couldn't possibly be anything more fun than this.
Hannah loved to play blocks with her Dad, be carried around with her Mom, read stories, and play anything and everything else with her sister.  She loved to hug and kiss her stuffed animals and blankets.  She would suck on her bottom lip when she was tired and pull her Pocahontas doll close to her.  She was fun and silly but always enjoyed a good calm nap.  She would be laid down in her crib, given her pillow and her doll, hug them close, and beam up and her mother excitedly as if this nap was just another good part of the adventure that was her day.
Hannah seemed very gentle and sensitive from the day she was born.  Her first moments of life were spent nestled into her mother's neck breathing so softly that you would've thought she was asleep.  And yet her eyes were open and she seemed to be just waiting patiently for whatever would happen next in her life.  She was more precious than gold.  She had a beautiful kind heart like that of a Disney princess singing sweetly to the animals around her.  Hannah enjoyed looking at books about animals and it made her mother speculate about what she might be when she grew up.  She was so smart and curious and extremely content with her life and everything in it.  Hannah knew very well how to be happy.  And from such a young age she was already teaching it to others.
Hannah always seemed like she couldn't wait for the day when she would be able to walk and run and play just like her sister.  But her mother asked her to please wait and stay her little baby for just a little while longer."

I was putting Hannah down for a nap when this little 'story' came out of my mouth.  I was trying to read a book to her (about animals) but she took over the page turning and so I had to make up my own story to tell her (rather than fighting for control which I do sometimes, I'm embarrassed to say).  This was a much better way to spend that time with her.  Very rarely is it ever just me and Hannah and I'm trying harder to steal little moments with her when I can, like right before nap time when Audrey is napping in the other room.  My mom's journal about me has little details about my personality as a kid and so I was thinking about all the personality traits that have already come through in Hannah during her mere 10 months of life that I can tell her about herself as she grows up.   It's amazing to me what individuals we are right from the get go.  Sometimes we can see ourselves more clearly through someone else's eyes.  Other people really can know who we truly are when we forget.  Especially our mothers and fathers.  I always want to tell my kids about themselves, all the amazing things about them.

her first selfie

early early early mornings.  and she's still happy as can be.