BIG HEAD PRIDE

Okay, I'll admit, I haven't been thrilled with the fact that our baby daughter's monster head means she's been mistaken for a boy on a daily basis, even though I do my best to dress in her pink.

Even yesterday, when she was dressed in a hot pink tee shirt, pink tennis shoes, and - gasp! - a pair of blue jeans, two people thought she was a boy. Darn it! I'm forced to say, "Oh, she's a girl. She just has a really big head."

(See how she stands as she rides in her umbrella stroller? She also slithers out of the high chair straps at restaurants, stands on her chair and crawls across the table top. You should see us scramble.)

I can't put any of her pretty head bands on her because, A. Vanessa hates anything on her head, and B. they're too small. Heck, I didn't know I should buy headbands for a 4 year old. Sometimes I sneak a little bow in her hair, but they're choking hazards, so I have to watch her. Lord knows everything goes into the mouth.

Many times Daddio has caught me singing this affirmation after one of those trying days out in public:

I like big heads and I can not lie

You other mothers can't deny

That when a girl walks in with an itty bitty face

And a round head in its place

"Boy" is wrong!

And she's not that tough

But you noticed that head was stuffed

Deep in the beanie she's wearing

I'm hooked and I can't stop staring

Oh, baby I wanna play with ya

And take your picture

My pedi tried to tell me

But that head you got

Make me so HAPPY

I think we have the best pediatrician on earth, because I know other parents whose big headed girls had to have CT scans to see if they were okay. Dr. Bravo isn't worried. Also, I know other moms whose babies had to have x-rays and bone density tests when their growth pattern dropped from the 90th to 70th percentiles. Dr. Bravo didn't do that to Vanessa. He's so great!

Grandma Patty is visiting and you should see how Vanners and she get along. Very adorable. Things VH1 has learned since seeing her at Thanksgiving are:

flush the toilet
feed the dog
feed her parents
walk
climb up into a chair
climb down out of a chair
feed herself by hand
blow bubbles to make us laugh
bring you whatever you ask for
clap
wave and say "bye-bye" or "hi"
go underwater, turn, and rise up on her back
help with dressing
say many new things, mostly in Vanglish
drink cow's milk
share what she finds on the floor
slide down the slide
climb up the front of the tv stand and hang on in a pull-up position
growl as she eats (grum, grum, grum)

In fact, since her pediatric appointment, we've suddenly realized how much she understands. Here I'd been thinking we have all manner of time before she picks up on what we say, since she can't really speak English yet. Wrong. She gets it all. I'm horrified, of course, because I haven't been editing anything I say.



Daddio is taking Vanessa to her second set of swim lessons. He is shamelessly proud. They've gone to two lessons and both times Daddio has concluded that Vanners is "the star." The instructor has Van do all the demonstrations. There are two older men in her class, both age 3, with their dads. Jack says, "She loves those older boys." Of course she's still at a fearless age, while they are developing a little sense of self preservation.

When I'm not humming Sir-Mix-Alot raps, I'm bawling my eyes out to this Christmas song that made its way into my heart last year. Clearly it was written about the Baby Jesus, but Baby Vanessa resembles him (and not just with her big head). This played all December while I was pregnant, and all January as a lullabye while I held newborn Nessa. I continue to marvel at our good fortune and unspeakable, undeserved blessings.

CHILD OF LOVE (Sara Groves)

Child of wonder, close Your eyes

Rest here in my arms tonight

Someday You will save the world

But tonight I'll hold You, right here in my arms

Precious miracle of life, child of love

Gift of hope, the gift of light

From the Father above

And You were made for all mankind

But You will always be mine, child of love

Gabriel's promise has come true

God has blessed this world with You

And as I humbly hold You now

In my heart I know I'm holding heaven's child

Precious miracle of life, child of love

Gift of hope, the gift of light

From the Father above

And You were made for all mankind

But You will always be mine, child of love

Precious miracle of life, child of love

Gift of hope, the gift of light

From the Father above

And You were made for all mankind

But You will always be mine, child of love

Child of wonder, close Your eyes...