I tried to imagine how they must have all been lounging here and there visiting. My Granny's house acting as a hospital waiting room. A hospital waiting room with pie. Papers were passed around to write down guesses of the new baby's specs. Talk of if this would be a boy or a girl was rampant I'm sure. Pins and needles each time the phone would ring.
I remember calling soon after Cecily was safely delivered and we were all cleaned up and cozy. Shiloh and I with our heads together listening as someone picked up.
'Hello?' It was Mom I think. Or maybe Dad. They put us on speaker and grinning we announced 'We have a girl!' There were lots of questions.
What does she look like?
How much did she weigh?
What is her name?
Cecily. Cecily Gracin.
She was the happiest little baby. Today we celebrate her eighth birthday. I can't believe how big she is already. She hasn't lost her smile and if you know her you know she has a belly laugh that is infectious. She finds joy in simple things. Well, simple things and cartoon violence. The short film by Pixar with the magician killed her. She laughed the entire length of that short little cartoon. Seeing her cackle at the big screen gave me a stitch in my side and tears in my eyes. I will never forget watching her watch that for the first time. She makes me laugh in other ways too. I thought today to honor her I would share a few things she has said to me that I have written in a book I call Today You Made Me Smile. The kids love hearing 'funny stories of when they were little' and I would love to share with you too.
1-Upon putting on warm clothes fresh from the dryer she exclaimed
"Man these clothes are sweaty!"
2-June 3,2009
After being told to buckle back into her car seat while waiting on our free root beer floats at Sonic because she didn't stay in the back of the van like she was told...
"Mommy,compassion means giving people a second chance!"
3-August 19,2009
After coming in filthy from the backyard where she had been playing she declared,
"I know,I look like an orphan."
4-September 11, 2009
While at a park,
"Mommy can I ask you a question?
"Hmmm?"
"What does a person do if they lose a tooth in jail?"
"They probably throw it away. I doubt they keep it like you do"
Now she is hanging from a bar swinging "Huh. Well, how do they go potty?"
"They have toilets"
She jumps off
"Oh, I put Clara in a little cell"
giggle
"Is she gonna be able to get out?"
shrug "nope" giggle
She runs off.
5-September 13, 2009
Upon entering the bathroom at Cheddars,
"It smells difficult in here"
There was no pie and we skipped the cake. She wanted only ice cream.
I love my Cecily and I would skip pie everyday if it meant having her.
