Eleven Months

Aria has become this little person that has so much spirit and light that she amazes me every day. I feel blessed to have such a wonderful child. She is the sweetest, smartest, prettiest thing I have ever met. She is eating like an adult. With her meals consisting of anywhere from chicken nuggets to green beans to pineapple she loves it all. She is talking and mocking us to the best of her ability with words like mama, daddy, nah, yep, this. There is never a dull moment. She loves to mock her daddy for some reason and never me.   She still hasn’t mastered walking yet, but she still loves to move and groove.

Our nightly routine has become the best part of the day for me. When I get home I cook and we sit down at the kitchen table and eat together.  While I clean up, Andrew plays with her by chasing her around the island in her walker or dancing and singing with her.  Then Andrew runs her bath and she has the most fun splashing and giggling. She is defiantly a water baby. After her bath we have a dance party. They (whoever they are) say that you are supposed to relax right before bedtime, but we have a party. We put on some music and sing and dance around. Then its finally time to go to sleep. Andrew says good night and gets his kisses and I start rocking her. The first thing I do is pray for her. I pray for things that I would feel that she would ask God for or thank him for:

Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray to the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake I pray to the Lord my soul to take. God thank you for my family and friends and our health and happiness. Please let all of my friends at school have a healthy year and have lots of fun. Amen.

Then I hum “You are my Sunshine” or “Hush Little Baby” as I hum I just stare at her and kiss her sleepy eyes. I try to take in every second because I know this time won’t last. Once she is done with her bottle I put her on my chest and I pray over her. I pray that God keeps her healthy and happy. I pray that he gives me the guidance to raise her to be a God loving, successful, confident woman.  today I came across a prayer that seems to say exactly what I want to say:

Lord, I pray that your light will shine through them in the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)