Happy Birthday to My Lo Lo

When Chloe was still in my womb I noticed something very different about her right away. If her older sister who was only 2 at the time would lean on my belly or sit on my lap and lean back, Lo Lo would kick and kick until she moved.

Or if My Giant would hug a little too close again, it was the same thing. She would kick him away, as if to say, "Hey dude, this is my BELLY, and there is limited space already as it is, SO BACK OFF GIANT!" I feel she knew her dad was a GIANT before she even met him.

If I laid down, and she wasn't liking my position on the bed, she let me know. So before she was even born we had to change her name. We were going to name her Gracie Ellen, but then she kinda named herself because we thought... this lil one is no Gracie, she needs something a bit more firey.

I'm not sure exactly which one of those name books we read but the one we did said that her name Chloe means fresh blooming and Nashelle means fire. So in a sense her name means fresh blooming fire. Now if you know Chloe you would know that of all the Fab 4 children she is one sensitive, passionate, sweet cookie. Well, she's not a cookie but she makes good cookies. These character traits are a beautiful gift that God has given her, but it is also something that from the time she was iddy-biddy we have had to help her with. Not her sweetness so much as the passion and sensitivity thingy.

When she was a new born I would sing her name to her in a sing songy kind of way. I love to sing, and this is was what I did with her older sister Emma who loved it. I thought nothing of it, until I realized that she was very moved by what I was singing and she would begin to cry. I might have been offended that my singing was just that bad, but I have had many other happy audiences to say otherwise. So I just thought it was the song. I tried other songs. If it was a happy song she would laugh until she cried. If it was a sad song she would cry, until she laughed and then she would cry some more.

Music moves her.

If I would raise my voice, which occasionally happens in loud italian families, she would cry.

Tone of Voice moves her.

If I would cry, she would cry. If her sister would cry she would cry. If MY GIANT.. well he never cried but you get the idea.

Emotions move her.

Needless to say it was at this point in my parenting that I realized I was going to have to change my parenting for this sweet little soul. What worked for her strong, will-full, somewhat stubborn older sister Emma, was not going to work for this sensitive, passionate little person.
I often felt like a bull in a china shop with her. Me being a big scary bull, her being a fragile beautiful tea cup. She has taught me and still continues to teach me to simmer down. Can I get a witness that we have to parent each child according to their individual needs? Can I also get a witness that our kids can teach us as much as we are trying to teach them ?
They don't tell you that in Lamaze class. They don't tell you that you will learn as much as you teach. This is not what you think will happen going into this gig called parenting. No one says you will need an internal parental dial that you can tweek for each kid, on any given day, at any given hour, or moment. There is no manual. There is no perfect way to parent. There is only you and your child and in our case The Holy Spirit leading me into all wisdom(thanks be to Baby Jesus)

She has taught me so much in the 12 years that she has been here. Seeing life through Chloe's eyes is something I truly love to do. Unlike her older sister Emma, I have to draw things out of that beautiful brain of hers. She is an incredible young lady who genuinely cares for others so much. She has Crazy good rhythm, and a witty sense of humor. I feel honored to be her mom, and I can't believe this is the last year before she enters the official teen years.

Happy Birthday to My Beautiful, Sweet, Sensitive Lo Lo.
YOU ARE THE BOMB DIGGITY!!

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P.S I am being spotlighted today on this here link up called Welcome Wednesday. It's the first blog spotlight I've ever had and I'm kinda, really, super, excited about it. If you haven't checked out this blogger site you should.

P.S.S I also get to eat cake today.

P.S.S.S Tomorrow I have one of funniest blogs I think I have ever written. Maybe?

P.Sx4- If you read this YOU ARE MY BLOG READING HERO, and you must really like me, which means I really like you, which means we are now a part of a mutual admiration society.
Welcome to my club!

P.Sx Whatever- I have one more thing to say and I realize those PS's borderline on being obnoxious but if you have wandered over from Welcome Wednesday, first YAY! 2. I will comment you back and D. I will even follow you back BUT not today. Today I am birthday partying it UP with my girl <3