Beautiful Bella

Happy 2nd birthday beautiful Gia Bella! I cannot believe you are already two. It seems like each and every day you get bigger and older. Mommy has such a hard time with this because she knows that you are not hers. She knows that you are too wonderful, too amazing to be held on to forever...

You are beautiful. Not just on the outside. No, your beauty can't be captured in pictures. It radiates from the inside out. It is expressed in the giggles, in the sheepish grins, in your silly faces and sweet, sweet, STRONG spirit.

Speaking of strong, you are STRONG. Strong in spirit, strong in mind, strong in body. From the day you were born, at just 6lbs. 2 oz., lifting your head to look around, others have been amazed at your physical strength. Now that you are 2, you prefer to show off this strength, by "throwing down" and then yelling loudly, "fall down, oh no, i fall down, hold it." By it, you are referring to yourself. I love when you tell me to "hold it" and oh, how I love to hold it! Did I mention your strength transcends the physical?!? You, at the sweet age of 2, are the strongest person I know. I love this about you, it may exhaust me just a bit at times, but it is something I adore about you. Again, I have known this about you since the moment we met face to face. Your Heavenly Father adores this about you too. He has big plans for you. Strength was thoughtfully and lovingly knit into the fabric of your being, it is not an afterthought.

You are compassionate. Even at your tender age, you care deeply for others. Just hearing a little boy cry will cause you concern for hours. A bug bite on mommy's toe means a bug bite on your toe. Our dog, Jax, will always have an assortment of play food and toys surrounding him. You worry about him and care for him like the good mommy I know you will make one day. I know he especially enjoys the plastic mushroom and cake left for him last night. Your big eyes are only eclipsed by your big heart.

You are silly. I love hearing you laugh. It is absolutely infectious. You know how to make me laugh and yes, you know how to use it to get out of trouble. Our timeout chair talks are often short lived because mommy has to walk away and compose herself, not out of anger, but because she cannot contain her laughter. I love pretending to eat your tasty toes and I love seeing the dinner table set for your books. Seeing you walk around with Mr. Potato Head glasses on your face or a swimsuit on top of all of your clothes, will always bring a smile to my face. Singing and dancing with your toys and your artwork makes me laugh in a way nothing else can. Everyday brings a chance to get down on the floor with you and just be silly.

You are so much more than I could ever sit here and list out. I hope you will always know how very much I love you. Even more than this, I hope you never lose the peace that has always radiated from your spirit. Daughter of the King, you know who you are. Don't ever let that go. Men and women spend fortunes and lifetimes searching for what you have. Ground yourself in His perfect love for you. Mommy and Daddy will always love you well, but He will always love you perfectly. You are, after all, one of His favorites.