The journey to Lucy was anything but normal. I never thought I would get a girl. I never thought I would get any baby. We traveled a long, exhausting road towards a viable pregnancy and of course, much of that was forgotten when I looked into her eyes.
Lucy Grace came out with her eyes open. Doctors commented on how that wasn't particularly normal and from that time forward, she has always been engaged in her world. As she has migrated into the tween world, I question some of what engages her, but at least we can say she's normal.
Or not.
I am not sure how normal it is to carry a book with you wherever you go, or to have friends who do the same. I am not sure how normal it is to start the day singing and keep it at a low hum for most of the day. I am not sure how normal it is to doodle intricately on your body with your favorite pens or to read Harry Potter incessantly. She started the series at the beginning of third grade and has never really stopped reading them. There have been plenty of other books in between, but she can't let them go. I get it. I felt that way about the first five Box Car Children books, but we know HP and friends have way more going for them.
I am not sure how normal it is that she has awakened every morning since birth between 5:00 and 6:30. I am not sure how normal it is that her morning and bed time routines are set in stones that seem unmovable despite our pleading for a little flexibility. She will be a great 80 year old.
I am not sure how normal she is, but I do know our life is anything but with her smile and her giggle and her singing and her art and her excellent navigational skills and her perseverance and her kind heart.
I am a happy woman trying to guide a girl who is so much more than normal, so much better than any dream I may have had and feel grateful every day for living outside of normal.
Happy Birthday, Lucy Grace.
Lucy Grace came out with her eyes open. Doctors commented on how that wasn't particularly normal and from that time forward, she has always been engaged in her world. As she has migrated into the tween world, I question some of what engages her, but at least we can say she's normal.
Or not.
I am not sure how normal it is to carry a book with you wherever you go, or to have friends who do the same. I am not sure how normal it is to start the day singing and keep it at a low hum for most of the day. I am not sure how normal it is to doodle intricately on your body with your favorite pens or to read Harry Potter incessantly. She started the series at the beginning of third grade and has never really stopped reading them. There have been plenty of other books in between, but she can't let them go. I get it. I felt that way about the first five Box Car Children books, but we know HP and friends have way more going for them.
I am not sure how normal it is that she has awakened every morning since birth between 5:00 and 6:30. I am not sure how normal it is that her morning and bed time routines are set in stones that seem unmovable despite our pleading for a little flexibility. She will be a great 80 year old.
I am not sure how normal she is, but I do know our life is anything but with her smile and her giggle and her singing and her art and her excellent navigational skills and her perseverance and her kind heart.
I am a happy woman trying to guide a girl who is so much more than normal, so much better than any dream I may have had and feel grateful every day for living outside of normal.
Happy Birthday, Lucy Grace.
I love this picture of your beautiful baby girl! Happy birthday to Lucy, and to you!
ReplyDeleteI, too, have been contemplating what "normal" is.... for a kid, for an adult, for anyone. I have to think that "normal" is often over-rated.
ReplyDelete