Jenna Beth Birthday

Jenna hit a milestone today...she is 21.

I remember little details of the day she was born in a hospital in Norfolk, VA.

She was chubby from the moment she was born and if her personality was evident that day she was smiling and making the entire room laugh with her antics. She was born with beautiful full lips and wanted to look around at everything. She was especially aware of her sisters dancing about the room and her Grandma Jo holding her while she sucked frantically on her hand. Later she developed the habit of sucking both thumbs.

Preserved on a family video for all time is the announcement from her older sister, Carly, then 2 1/2 years old,

" I like this baby Mama!"
to which I replied,

"We get to keep her!"

"YAY!" she exclaimed.
And then in the next moment she began to sing a song she had prepared for the new baby....

"Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are"

When we took her home the next day, Rachel was there to hold her and help me with her first sponge bath. She was really a big sis for the first time since she was too young to be a real helper with Carly. Rachel would sing to her and hold her and help in any way she could with sweet baby Jenna.

For four and a half years, Jenna was my baby. She and I had time together to read and play. She was full of  enthusiasm for life and made everything more intense and exciting. Her love of books began when she was  so little and her desire to keep up with her sisters started with full speed.

She is famous for saying all the wrong things; at four years old she told a friend of mine she had a big butt. Sheesh!

She is a joy to me. She loves big and forgives quickly.

She talks a lot and keeps us all laughing.

I miss her today as she celebrates her birthday away from me. But the memory of how much I have loved being her mother warms me.

I love you Jenna Beth! Happy Birthday!