Mary Ann describes Hannah as a very alert, very good baby. She had started to sleep through the night, but on the occasions she did wake up in the night, mommy would take the opportunity to have some special playtime with her beautiful Hannah. As Mary Ann says, they’re not babies for very long. I get the feeling that Hannah was a much loved baby, spoiled with the love of her family.
Hannah always awoke in the morning with a big smile on her face, hidden behind her pacifier. Sometimes she would spit her pacifier half way across the room, and she had even taken it out and thrown it a few times. Mary Ann says she was an intense baby, but had such a beautiful smile, which she would, of course, always tuck away when the camera came out.
Hannah was a breastfed baby, even after Mary Ann had to return to work, she continued to breastfeed her daughter. She mentioned that Hannah breastfed well, saying she was a “little piggy,” in two months she had nearly doubled her birth weight of 6 pounds 13 ½ ounces. When she was born she was so tiny that they had to get preemie outfits to fit her.
She loved Beanie Babies, and a special pink blanket which she slept underneath every night after mommy would sing Rock-a-Bye Baby to her.
Hannah loved to be involved with her adoring family. At mealtime, Hannah would sit in the middle of the dinner table in her bouncy seat, as everyone ate their meal around her. Sarah, who is two years old, loved to take Hannah’s little socks. She couldn’t stand Hannah wearing socks so she would snatch her socks and run off with them.
Little Hannah didn’t have much hair to speak of, but Mary Ann believes that she was going to look just like her daddy as she grew up. She says Hannah was essentially bald.
I had the opportunity to speak to Hannah’s 10 year old big sister, Lianna. She describes Hannah as a “sweet little baby.” She says that Hannah had chubby legs, and chubby rosy cheeks. She repeated several times that Hanna smiled a lot, calling her a “Smiling Baby.” When I mentioned to her what her mom had said about Sarah stealing Hannah’s socks, Lianna said that Sarah often took Hannah’s things, she thinks because Hannah wanted to still be the baby. She says that Hannah didn’t cry a lot but she did cry, and if you talked to Hannah she would mumble things back to you like she was actually carrying on a sensible conversation with you. What sweet memories Lianna has of her baby sister Hannah.
Christmas morning Hannah was very alert, watching everything and looking at the lights. She was just over one month old and was pretty much just off the billi-blanket (the blanket was to help with a bout of jaundice Hannah had experienced, which was the only problem they ever had with her). Hannah contentedly watched everything that was happening on that very special Christmas.
January 31st, was her grandfather’s birthday, and the family shared an ice cream cake which has become their tradition. Hannah’s godmother kept sneaking Hannah little tastes of the ice cream. Mary Ann says of the ice cream: “I am so glad that she did that though, so she tasted something other that breast milk.”
On the last day of February, while Hannah’s mom and big sister Lianna were making dinner, her daddy and big sister Sarah were busy putting together a Nascar race track in the living room, while Hannah sat in a big overstuffed chair just laughing and laughing at them.
Sleep peacefully Sweet Baby Hannah, your adorable smile and wonderful laugh are missed so much by your loving family. You are so very dearly loved.
-written by Lydia Alves for May's edition of HOPE
