First Laugh
I haven’t had my camera on me recently because all the baby was doing was crying. We got casts off and braces on and things changed, but I couldn’t take the shot with her crying. I have one picture on this site of my baby crying (a feat she does often) and it makes me feel bad every time I look at it so I just avoid cameras during hard times.
But I had no idea that my little strong trooper would laugh for the very first time today. She has been in pain ranging from extreme to just a lot since Monday night. It’s now Thursday night. We took her braces off for a break and I played peek-a-boo with a blanket. I hadn’t done that since she was a tiny newborn fresh from the oven. She would just stare at me then. But this time she laughed. At first I thought it was a cry, but her face was smiles so I was confused. Then I realized that you can’t crush this little girl’s spirits as easily as you can the older kind (like Mom). I have a lot to learn from my miracle. She’s the kind of strong I want to be. The kind that can cry when it’s happening and then let it go.
She laughed again (for the very second time in her life) a little later on tonight. She had the shoe braces on this time, but was being played with and enjoying herself. She still cried when we picked her up because it’s still ouchy, but I no longer worry about her emotional development being delayed because of the pain.
She’s amazing. And she’s MINE ALL MINE!!! (I just like saying that.) 
