My Alphabet of Gratitude...Letter H is for Hannah

Hannah is the one child out of 4 that Chad and I have together that doesn't have RCDP. According to the odds of recessive genes it should be the other way around...for that reason Hannah is known as my miracle child. Born 3 weeks early, Hannah was a tiny little cuddly baby when we brought her home, she weighed a whopping 4 pounds 10 ounces. Even her preemie clothes were a little big on her. Hannah was covered with hair! I called her my little monkey and she lived up to that name not only in hair but also in climbing abilities. She had more energy from the time she was born than I have ever seen in any of my children. She has that same energy to this day. Hannah loves to sing and dance and at every opportunity she will perform for you. I love to hear her voice and how hard she tries to sound "grown up". She loves Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift. She loves to watch anything Disney and I love her laugh. Hannah loves to help. She always has. Lately she has been learning to cook and we have a great time together in the kitchen. I hope this will last for our lifetime. There is nothing like cooking up a meal with your daughter and sitting down to enjoy that meal with your family to bring a tear to a Mother's eye. Hannah loves being a girl. She loves all things girl. She loves to play Barbies and with dolls. She loves to dress the dogs and kitty up in the doll and barbie clothes. The animals don't care to much for it though. Hannah loves to ask questions and it is these questions that I am grateful for also. Sometimes they do get numerous and there are times when I have to tell her not now, but I have to admit the child makes me think. I love her smile and the little freckles that speckle her cheeks. I am thankful she likes to cuddle and be soothed when she has an owie. She is a wonderful big and little sister to her siblings with disabilities. She can do everything from change them to feed them and she really doesn't mind, most times she asks to do these things. I know Hannah will be a wonderful Mother someday. As a mother with 3 daughters, 2 of which I have had to accept alternate plans of living for, Hannah is a breath of fresh air. I love to watch her dance and am so very grateful for her ability to do it. Everything I would have taken for granted about her, my Munchkins remind me not to, and her also. She is a very typical child in most ways but I believe she has an advantage growing up with these special children. It has taught her empathy and sacrifice. Hard lessons to learn, even for adults. Her normal is not other people's but you wouldn't know it by watching her live. She simply accepts. She has a curiosity that is admirable but it is a curiosity underlined by a tenderness that is all her own. A friend of mine once asked me if I look at Hannah sometimes and see a little halo glowing above her head, you just love her that much. I said yes I do, quite often in fact. I can feel it physically in my chest, my heart soars when I watch her play, when I see her smile, when she tells me how much she loves me. My Hannah banana is so many things, none of which I take for granted. She was given to me at a time when my heart was hurting so much and she healed that hurt. She gave me back the dreams that I had given up with Megan. She is my chance at redemption. Hannah is my miracle and I am more thankful for her each and everyday. I have so enjoyed the last 8 and 1/2 years with her and I look forward with childlike anticipation to the years to come.