Three's the charmer

Allissa (known aliases: Lissy Belle, Bel-Lissy-Mo) turned three on Tax Day.

Daddy's little dividend has paid off in so many ways since the day she came on the scene.

A day I remember well.

Her big sister, Melanie, was born December 21, 2004, with complications.

While the difficulties were not necessarily life-threatening in the strictest sense of the term, there were serious concerns in the first year of her life.

No six-year-old could be loved more, and no six-year-old's family could be more grateful for her life and the progress she has made.

But three-plus years ago there was some anxiety about whether there would be problems with the next baby.

So as I wended my way toward Hickory, North Carolina, on April 15, 2008, I prayed as carefully and deliberately as I drove.

Our son-in-law kept me updated as to Stephanie's progress throughout my two-and-a-half-hour trip.

Things were humming along according to plan.

The next-to-last phone call came when I was fifteen minutes away from the hospital. Zero hour had been reached: it was time to greet a baby.

I was pulling into a parking spot at Frye Regional Medical Center in Hickory when my cell phone rang a final time. It was Joel.

Photo Stephanie Bixler 2009

"We have success!" he exulted.

I waited a beat, my heart in my throat, before asking if everything was okay.

"Everything is fine," the father of my grandchildren assured me.

Yessssssss! Thank you, Lord.

I was in the delivery suite practically before the cord was cut. A tightly-swaddled, pink-handi-wipe hatted, amazingly calm Allissa snuggled in my arms within ten minutes of her birth. Someone took a picture of us together.

I can't find that picture. Suffice it to say, it's in my head heart.

For various reasons we weren't able to be with Allissa yesterday on her actual birthday. We're going next weekend.

So of course I called her mid-morning. "Hey Mamaw!" she blurted -- as she always does -- when her mother handed her the phone.

And also as she always does, she fell silent when I began talking. Unless someone is there to prompt her to answer, she turns into an intently-listening bobblehead.

When Stephanie took the phone back I asked what the family had planned by way of a birthday celebration.

She responded that Allissa, when quizzed about what she wanted to do on her birthday, had a three-fold request.

Appropriate: a wish for each year of her life.

She wanted, in no particular order:

1.  A trip to the park;

2.  Supper at Wendy's; and

3.  To have her picture taken beside a flower bush.

Okay. That right there was the first time I could type that or even think about it without crying.

Yesterday I told several people about Allissa's three birthday wishes, and wrote it to a few more, and I cried every time.

There's just something about the profound innocence of a child's mind.

Lissy Belle, if you are reading this ... er ... if it's being read to you ...

Mamaw and Papaw will be there next week for a party with cake and presents.

Aunt Audrey is coming too.

I heard through the grapevine that you got your trip to the park yesterday, and your supper from Wendy's. I hope you had a Frosty and all the fries you could eat.

No word yet on whether you posed beside a flower bush to have your picture made, but my guess is your loving mother made it happen.

Happy birthday, my darling. Enjoy being three as much as we will enjoy you being three.

And when you're ready to talk, don't hesitate to call.

Comments

[Mari]

Happy Birthday to sweet Allisa! I think her wishes are as sweet as she is!

[Sue the hobbit]

Totally sweet. Having grown up without grandparents, I am always grateful that I can fill that spot of love for my grandchildren. If you're ever around Spring Lake, you could go munch on my little Elsie, 'cause it doesn't look like I'll get to do it for a while.

[Donna (Texas)]

Happy Birthday to sweet Miss Allissa!
She's beautiful Jenn...I know something about all those tears... :o)
((((HUG))))

['Aunt Amelia']

Ohhhh Dear Lissy Belle's Mamaw, what a sweet, sweet post. Happy Birthday to your little darling.

Three... Isn't that a lovely age? Sweet, gentle wishes. Loving family. Just lovely. Just perfect.

Gentle hugs,
.♥.

[Audrey]

Oh, I can't read this without getting misty-eyed. She just touches my heart, that little girl.

How I love my precocious little 3-year old niece.

[irene]

I love all your wonderful pictures of your darling girl. what joy! Happy Birthday big girl.

[Debbie]

Life is so precious, every single baby has such potential. Beautiful pictures and tribute to a lovely little girl. Happy Birthday

[Donna M.]

She is precious! And I love those three wishes! Happy birthday to your sweet granddaughter!

[kev]

I've said this many times before, but Allissa is the cutest little thing. And those birthday wishes are the most precious things I've ever heard. :)