She is my sunshine, that sweet girl. I waited my entire life for her. Throughout my childhood, whenever I was asked what I wanted to be when I grow up, my answer, quite simply, was always "a mommy." So you can only imagine my reaction to that one amazing word that popped up on a pregnancy test one very early morning in February back in 2010: pregnant. I couldn't breathe. After a few very long seconds, I could no longer even see straight. Big, fat tears had formed in my eyes and began rolling down my cheeks, blurring my vision making it nearly impossible to focus on that one single word that I'd waited my entire lifetime to see, a word that quite literally changed my life forever: I was pregnant! I was going to be a mommy!
The old wive's tale says that when you're pregnant with a girl, that sweet baby steals the beauty from her mother. Most women I know who have had girls agree that during their pregnancies their skin broke out in pimples, or their hair was completely flat and lackluster, or they felt bloated all of the time, or they just felt unattractive altogether. I couldn't disagree with this theory more. I've never felt more beautiful in my entire life, than the almost 10 months that I carried her within my womb. I had awful morning sickness but boy did I glow; happiness and pure excitement emanated from every pore on my body. I carried her with such joy and grace.
As sick as I was throughout my pregnancy, no amount of dry heaving or nausea was going to stop me from embracing every second of that experience. Everything had to be just right for her. We'd been blessed with this beautiful baby girl. She'd been given to us by God and I wasn't going to take a second of it for granted. From the colors we chose for her room, to her bedding, down to the sweet, little outfit she wore home from the hospital, every intricate detail was perfectly selected and ready just for her.
The second I laid eyes on that gorgeous ray of sunshine, however, all of those details went straight out the window. The only thing that mattered from that moment on was her. That sweet baby girl, the one that made all of my dreams come true, there'd never be another moment exactly like that one...ever.
Giulia has grown into a very quiet girl who is very set in her ways and she's been like that from the moment she came flying out into this world (yes, quite literally flying). She has truly challenged me in ways I never thought possible. She has not only taught me to think outside of the box but to parent more creatively as well. Her quirky personality and spunky sense of style never fail to make me smile. She will not hesitate to put you in your place or even throw you under the bus if it means being honest and doing the right thing; two qualities we take very seriously in our family.
*Her passions include the widest variety of things: collecting Shopkins, caring for her dolls and stuffed animals, doing art, taking charge and leading others, and exploring the great outdoors.
*She's a girly girl at heart but is not afraid of getting dirty and looking for bugs. She gets enjoyment out of riding her bike, spending the day in her pajamas, cuddling up to watch a good movie, organizing her room, camping with her family, and chowing down on her favorite cookie in the whole wide world: Oreos.
*I call her my bag lady because she has so many bags that contain everything from used tissues to lip gloss to flash lights to first aid kits. If you're ever out and about and you're in need of something, she's your girl. She's better at packing our diaper bag than I am.
*She has a deep love for her family, friends, and teachers, however, she holds a very special place in her heart for her daddy.
There is absolutely nothing in this world that will ever come between that girl and her daddy. The bond those two have is everlasting. To think back on the day we found out that our first baby would be a girl, it makes me giggle remembering the total fear that overtook that strong, manly man of mine. "Are you sure? Can you just double-check?" he quietly asked the ultrasound technician. "Oh, it's most definitely a girl, Mr. Rollo," she smiled back at us. The silence that ensued for the next hour scared me. I feared that maybe he was not happy or maybe he was disappointed. I didn't know what to say until suddenly his quiet voice broke the silence, "Danette?" "Yes?" I replied. "I'm terrified. A girl...I don't know what to do with a girl. What if I break her?" I suddenly found myself laughing and crying all at the same time. "Oh honey," I said, "You're her daddy and you'll figure it out. You won't break her! You're going to teach her so many amazing things. She's going to love you so much." He looked over at me, a smile on his face and tears in his eyes..."My baby girl," he said.
To see how far their relationship has come since that fear-filled car ride home 7 years ago...it quite literally takes my breath away and although she happened to also inherit her daddy's stubbornness, she truly has a heart of gold. I can rest easy knowing that that girl will forever keep our family together and going strong long after her daddy and I are gone. She has a wisdom far beyond her years, one that I know will continue teaching me until the day I die. I am forever grateful for this little girl and for every little thing that makes her Giulia ❤️
