It's All In The Hands

I could watch these hands all day.

 Sometimes it's hard for me to remember that Stella is a real person. I mean, obviously I know that she's real, but she doesn't do many of the things that other people do. She's still at the eating, sleeping & pooping stage. That's pretty much what she does.

The hands, however, are busy.

The hands tell us that she's growing and learning.

They have developed these awesome dimples where her knuckles will someday be.

They tell me when she's totally relaxed.  

They are the connection between brother and sister.

This is one of my favorite pictures ever. It was taken the first time that Cole was able to hold Stella in the hospital. He made sure that other than Jim & I, he was the first person to hold his sister. What a special moment it was when she reached out and grabbed his finger.

Her hands are also warning signs for us.

Stella sleeps all swaddled in her blankets. She's comfy this way. If she's not swaddled she hits herself in the face and wakes herself up. When the hands break free from the blanket, we know she's about to wake up.

Sometimes the hands end up in positions that make me laugh. She looks like a grown lady with her hands politely folded in her lap. (Moments later she probably hit herself in the face!)

Sometimes the hands say "Please Mom, enough with the pictures!"

Her hands remind me that she is a real person.

At this point, I can't wait to see all of the things that Stella will do with her hands in her lifetime.  

Very soon she will use those hands to grab a toy;

and then I will get to wipe them clean of dirt and all of the other awesome things that children get into;

and then she will use those hands to write her name.

She will use those hands to learn and express herself.

She will use those hands to do her life's work- maybe she will use them to heal others, maybe she will use them to serve, maybe she will use them to teach.

Eventually, she will use those hands to hold her own children.

Maybe she will be as enamored by their hands as I am of hers.