Happy Birthday Rebecca Harris

Rebecca turns 2 on Saturday.  I am a little bummed it's taken 2 years for me to write about her.  I find it interesting how many blog posts, and Facebook status updates I wrote about Calvin and pictures I took of him when he was an only child.  Everything was brand new and exciting with the first one that I posted all of his milestones.  I wish I would have done more with Rebecca.  Not necessarily online, but I wish I would have written more about her in my journal at least.  Since I've never really done this, I'd like to write about her so that I can remember what she was like, and to share her life story with my family and friends.
Rebecca is such a sweet heart.  I was very sick with her during my pregnancy, and she caused a LOT of pain in my back and hips region during pregnancy, but I am so grateful I went through it to get her here!  One week before giving birth, a woman asked me if I was excited to have a new baby in my home.  I looked her in the face and said, "No!  I do not like little babies, I am dreading it.  When she is a toddler I'll be excited!"  I still can't believe I responded in such a way!  I was afraid because Calvin was very hard to soothe and he took a long time to figure out the breastfeeding thing.  It was so exhausting and hard, that the thought of having a baby in the home terrified me!

Rebecca was perfect and quite the opposite of what I expected.  Her cry was such a sweet (and quiet) cry.  She was chunky, had a head full of dark hair and she was content.  I didn't get to hold Calvin until an hour after he was born.  Rebecca was placed in my arms before they even cleaned her up and within 1 second, she latched right on like a pro!  It's like she'd been doing it for 7 months.  I was so happy about that.  I was feeling a lot of breastfeeding anxiety because Calvin couldn't figure it out.  I loved to cuddle her, and did it every chance I could get.  She always slept, and only cried when she was hungry or wet.  I always knew exactly what she needed, and she

was so patient.  She just waited her turn while I finished helping Calvin (2 1/2 at the time) with whatever he needed.  God knew exactly what I needed at that time.  I was dealing with post-partum depression and had debilitating back pain for a little over a year after she was born.  He knew that I needed a quiet, patient, and snuggly little companion to help me get through those hard days.

She's wanted to move and push her physical limits from a young age.  As soon as she mastered one skill, she was already onto the next.   2 days after she learned how to crawl, she was cruising along furniture.  I spent MANY days sitting next to the stairs anticipating her falling down them.  She learned how to do things at the park at age one that Calvin learned at age 3.  Just like her brother Calvin, she is learning to talk A LOT and she's got half of her alphabet learned (all credit goes to her big brother, and her ABC toys).  She is still a sucker for hugs and kisses.  She always wants to be held and nuzzled by her mommy.  At times I hate holding a heavy toddler a ton, but when I

remember how fast it goes, I can't help but enjoy those expressions of love and trust.

My favorite things that she says right now are, "No!  Gecka (becca) do it!!", "gaygoo (thank you) mommy", "Mommy happy, daddy happy, Calvin happy, milk happy? NO!" and her prayers.  She LOVES to say thank you for all of the things she can think of.  I have a good friend named Dawn.  She is Rebecca's best friend!  The other day, I couldn't get Rebecca to get her coat and boots on to go outside.  I finally said, "Let's go see Dawn!" and she ran to the door and demanded her coat, shoes and outside to see Dawn.

Rebecca is a very outgoing little girl.  She loves to meet new people, be held, played with and looked at.  Calvin always chooses to sit on the front row at church.  Becca just stands up on her bench and chats with and watches all of the people behind her.  She loves to go to nursery, sleep in her big bed and once in a while (when not fighting) she LOVES her big brother Calvin.  She is a SASSY little toddler, but that little sassy pants is one of my best friends.  I don't know what I would do without my sweet girl.  I am so thankful to God for granting me such a beautiful gift.  Happy birthday to my darling Rebecca Harris!