Pint-sized Grace: Happy 2nd Birthday, Rachel Lynn!

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Happy 2nd Birthday, Rachel Lynn!

You know, this whole raising kids thing is funny...

Everyone told me to be prepared for my second to be completely different than my first, but that's such a hard concept to comprehend if all you have is one. It's hard to think of them having a different personality than the child you've come to know and love and be able to deal with.

And then, you wonder how you could possibly have enough room in your heart to love more than one and love them equally and as completely as they each need...

Funny, the worries of parents.

So to face the fact that my baby girl turned two today and take the time to reflect on her and her qualities is crazy. I can't say that time has flown but it has gone quickly. So quickly that I haven't even filled out her baby book yet - it's still in the drawer with all the scraps I've been meaning to put in there. *sigh* Poor second child!

I remember not feeling well for about a week when I took the pregnancy test. We had just moved to TN and to say that I had been an emotional wreck is an understatement. Coming to a place where I knew no one and becoming a stay at home mom to a not-quite-one-yet Elizabeth was daunting. Our household budget had significantly decreased and my husband worked long hours, trying to claw his way as a new salesman.

There were so many reasons behind why I might have not been feeling well...

Yet, in the end, there was only one.

I remember Scott had been working under the house to run a phone line to a room where there wasn't currently one. He was filthy and it was a hot July day and I walked out to him with a young Elizabeth on my hip with the positive pregnancy test.

He looked at it, and then at me.

And I turned and walked back in the house.

He caught up with me and put his arms around the two of us and said, "Aren't we going to talk about this?" I said, "No..." I was emotionally unprepared for this news - I hadn't even gotten a period yet since after Elizabeth was born and, while I knew that the possibility was there, between Scott traveling back and forth and just being home on weekends... Well, I just thought the odds were in my favor.

Little did I know that they were.

Carrying Rachel was easy. I gained way too much weight and she was an active and healthy little baby. Aside from that beginning bit, I wasn't sick or hurting and I was thankful to eventually be induced so we could plan for my sister to come in town to watch Elizabeth.

My doctor broke my water a little after 7 a.m. and she was born not too long after 10 a.m. and made her presence known to the world. Right away, she showed a demanding personality. She wanted to eat and be held and then eat some more. She was opinionated and loud.

And boy, was she cute...

Fortunately for us, being only 19 months apart, Elizabeth didn't show any jealously and instead loved her little sister from the start. Rachel found Elizabeth fascinating and the bond was tight between the two of them. As they've grown, Rachel has been quick to follow Elizabeth's lead but be strong in forging her own path. It's not unusual to find her playing or reading on her own, almost thankful for the solitude.

She's always been an easy sleeper - even today, letting me know when she needs a nap or to go to bed. And there's no guessing her mood or what she wants - which isn't always a bad quality, I think.

She loves Mickey Mouse and Elmo and prefers chocolate over vanilla (my child!). She loves to swing and will let you push her for hours (no, I'm not exaggerating!). She sings and dances and jumps and runs. Rachel is an easier eater than Elizabeth and will try almost anything...except for oatmeal. She still likes being rocked and demands a sippy of milk in the morning the same way her mama demands coffee. She could care less about learning her letters or numbers, but she talks in full phrases and understands more complex subjects than Elizabeth did at this age.

Oh, and she loves boots.