A Letter to My Daughter -- To Read on Your 13th Birthday

My sweet sweet girl,

  Today, you are turning 13 years old, and I wanted to write a letter to you with words of advice and encouragement. The teen years can be some of the best and hardest of your life. For me, my teen years were full of great memories as well as difficult trials. 

   I am writing this letter so that you will have a keepsake to return to throughout the coming years, and so you will know how much I love you. But the best resource you have to guide you through this new season is the Bible. It will become more and more important as you grow older to continue to learn and rely on the Bible. The words of Scripture are the voice of God Himself. Only through listening to Him every day will you be able to recognize His call in the midst of the loud chaos of the world.

   Jesus taught us, "One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much" (Luke 16:10). So much of life is not made up of great milestones, but of small, daily steps. It is not so much a being as it is a becoming. No one ever simply stumbled into Christlikeness, but they worked step-by-step, day-by-day to be faithful. You may not see much progress today or tomorrow or even next week, but when you look back at your years of faithfulness in little things, you will recognize how much God has formed you into the image of His Son. Here are just a few areas where you can focus on daily faithfulness.

1. Humility (Hebrews 13:17) - As a teenager it will often be difficult to understand the purposes of the authority figures in your life. Remember, though, that God has placed these men and women in your path to guide you and that you should have a teachable spirit in light of that. Even when you find it the most difficult, remind yourself that these people have a lot to teach you, and they truly desire that you be a Godly woman.
2. Perseverance (James 1:2-4) - Some tough tests are coming.  See them through, even if it seems like quitting is easier. These trials are custom-made for you by God to make you more like Jesus. He is removing all the impurities from your heart so that you will be able to shine like gold for His glory.
3. Patience (Luke 8:15) - People are always in such a hurry to get to the next part of their lives.  Slow down.  Enjoy where you are now.  God has you exactly where he wants you for as long as He needs you there to learn the lessons He wants to teach you.
4. Focus (Philippians 3:13-14) - There are a million things and people in the world crying out for your attention, but only One who deserves it. Focus on Him through Scripture and prayer, and He will make you more and more into the obedient child He has called you to be. Someone once said, "Your thoughts can become your words. And your words can become your actions. And your actions can become your habits. And your habits can become your values. And your values guide your future."

You have been given marvelous gifts. With the love of God in your heart, you can be gentle without weakness and strong without rigidity. Above all, remember that Jesus is with you every step of the way: "Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20). And remember, your Daddy and I love you so very much. 

I adore you so, Noni. 

Love always, 

Mama

I'll Love You Forever

Where does the time go? I last posted about songs and lullabies before heading back to work when Noni was 2 months old. Now, she's 5 months (and sitting up by herself -- mostly). All along, I've been taking monthly baby pictures. I highly suggest that ALL parents do this with ALL of their children. It's amazing to watch them grow through the pictures. I plan on doing this for future baby Hightowers, too. Looking back, it reminds me how quickly these days are passing and how quickly she's growing. Lately, she's been in this stage where she wants to co-sleep. While it means that the Mr. and I don't get great sleep, I am reminded that these are fleeting moments.

My sweet Noni: These last 5 months have been the best 5 months of my life. I love watching you grow, and I love seeing your sweet personality bloom. Sometimes, I just want time to slow down. You're growing fast, but no matter what -- I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, As long as I'm living my baby you'll be.  I adore you so, little one...

Favorite Songs and Lullabies

Today was a great day. It's the Saturday before I start back to work from maternity leave, and I spent the whole day with my little family. The Mr. grabbed up Noni this morning and let me sleep in a little, and when I woke up, I was greeted with sweet snuggles from my girl.

Noni was in such a good mood. We were singing and playing, so I turned on Pandora and searched for Disney. How have I gone all this time without realizing that there is a Disney Pandora station dedicated to playing songs from all the movies we know and love?! We all know that I love me some Disney -- as evidenced by the way I've dressed my child:

And I most certainly loved the Disney Sing Along Song videos that used to come out on VHS. You know, these:

I was so excited about my find! Noni and I danced around as I sang to her (luckily, Noni hasn't yet realized that I can't carry a tune to save my life). The Mr. even joined in on the fun.

This experience made me think about all the little songs and lullabies I've been singing to Naomi. Here are my favorite Disney songs to sing to Noni:

• Baby Mine from Dumbo
• You'll Be in My Heat from Tarzan
• So This is Love from Cinderella
• Under the Sea from The Little Mermaid
• That's What Makes the World Go Round from The Sword in the Stone
• Aloha 'Oe from Lilo and Stitch
• Chim Chim Cheree from Mary Poppins
• Ev'rybody Wants to Be a Cat from The Aristocats
• The Bare Necessities from The Jungle Book
• Kiss the Girl from The Little Mermaid
• Beauty and the Beast from Beauty and the Beast
• Hakuna Matata - The Lion King
• A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes from Cinderella
• Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah from Song of the South
• Once Upon a Dream from Sleeping Beauty
• Little Black Rain Cloud from The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Bella Notte from Lady and the Tramp
• Winnie the Pooh from The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• I Wan'na Be Like You from The Jungle Book
• When You Wish Upon a Star from Pinocchio

There's a few other little songs and lullabies that I like to sing to Noni:

• If You're Happy and You Know It (the Target commercial version with Spanish and English)
• You Are My Sunshine
• Somewhere Over the Rainbow
• Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

I feel like I'm forgetting many fun songs and sweet lullabies from when I was a little girl. Hopefully, as Noni grows, some of them will come back to me. Feel free to make suggestions! Maybe you can jog my memory. I just love snuggling and singing to my girl. Then again, who wouldn't? Just look at this sweet face...

I adore you so, my baby girl.

Meet Naomi...

Welcome to the world, my sweet sweet Naomi...

It seems like just yesterday, I found out I was pregnant. At the time, I couldn't imagine becoming a mother. I couldn't imagine being responsible for one so small and vulnerable -- someone so completely dependent. I watched my belly grow and felt her sweet kicks, but I still couldn't wrap my mind around motherhood. What would it be like?

Then, April 5, 2013, my world changed. At 9:23pm, the Mr. and I met our sweet little Naomi (aka Noni). Instantly, I felt what all the mothers around me had expressed. Oh, what a blessing! Thank you, Lord, for entrusting this beautiful little girl to us.

Today, my baby is 8 weeks old. The time is flying, and it's flying fast. Monday, I return to work from maternity leave, and the Mr. and other family members will care for Noni during the day. How grateful I am for each and every one of them! Though leaving my baby girl each day will be difficult, I know she will be in great hands. I will have to summon every bit of strength in me to make it through those first days, but by God's grace, I'll do it. I'm so blessed -- so blessed to be surrounded by such supportive co-workers and family members -- so blessed to be this little girl's mommy. I adore you so, Noni!

I've started this blog so our friends and family can keep up with us as we set sail aboard the parenting ship. I already post a ton of pics of Naomi, so this will be another way to keep up with all of those pics and milestones.

There's a short story I saw on Facebook on Mother's Day. I would have never understood the depth of it before being a mommy:

"We are sitting at lunch one day when my daughter casually mentions that she and her husband are thinking of "starting a family." "We're taking a survey," she says half-joking. "Do you think I should have a baby?" 

"It will change your life," I say, carefully keeping my tone neutral. 

"I know," she says, "no more sleeping in on weekends, no more spontaneous vacations." 

But that is not what I meant at all. I look at my daughter, trying to decide what to tell her. I want her to know what she will never learn in childbirth classes. 

I want to tell her that the physical wounds of child bearing will heal, but becoming a mother will leave her with an emotional wound so raw that she will forever be vulnerable. 

I consider warning her that she will never again read a newspaper without asking, "What if that had been MY child?" That every plane crash, every house fire will haunt her. 

That when she sees pictures of starving children, she will wonder if anything could be worse than watching your child die. 

I look at her carefully manicured nails and stylish suit and think that no matter how sophisticated she is, becoming a mother will reduce her to the primitive level of a bear protecting her cub. That an urgent call of "Mom!" will cause her to drop a soufflé or her best crystal without a moments hesitation. 

I feel that I should warn her that no matter how many years she has invested in her career, she will be professionally derailed by motherhood. She might arrange for childcare, but one day she will be going into an important business meeting and she will think of her 
baby's sweet smell. She will have to use every ounce of discipline to keep from running home, just to make sure her baby is all right. 

I want my daughter to know that every day decisions will no longer be routine. That a five year old boy's desire to go to the men's room rather than the women's at McDonald's will become a major dilemma. That right there, in the midst of clattering trays and screaming 
children, issues of independence and gender identity will be weighed against the prospect that a child molester may be lurking in that restroom. 

However decisive she may be at the office, she will second-guess herself constantly as a mother. 

Looking at my attractive daughter, I want to assure her that eventually she will shed the pounds of pregnancy, but she will never feel the same about herself. 

That her life, now so important, will be of less value to her once she has a child. That she would give herself up in a moment to save her offspring, but will also begin to hope for more years, not to accomplish her own dreams, but to watch her child accomplish theirs. 

I want her to know that a cesarean scar or shiny stretch marks will become badges of honor. 

My daughter's relationship with her husband will change, but not in the way she thinks. 

I wish she could understand how much more you can love a man who is careful to powder the baby or who never hesitates to play with his child. 

I think she should know that she will fall in love with him again for reasons she would now find very unromantic. 

I wish my daughter could sense the bond she will feel with women throughout history who have tried to stop war, prejudice and drunk driving. 

I want to describe to my daughter the exhilaration of seeing your child learn to ride a bike.

I want to capture for her the belly laugh of a baby who is touching the soft fur of a dog or cat for the first time. 

I want her to taste the joy that is so real it actually hurts. 

My daughter's quizzical look makes me realize that tears have formed in my eyes. "You'll never regret it," I finally say. Then I reached across the table, squeezed my daughter's hand and offered a silent prayer for her, and for me, and for all the mere mortal women who stumble their way into this most wonderful of callings. 
Please share this with a Mom that you know or all of your girlfriends who may someday be Moms. May you always have in your arms the one who is in your heart."

-Author Unknown