7 months and birthday cake

For the most part, I happily welcomed the new year this year. I've never really been one to get too excited about a new year. I'm not big on new year's resolutions or the idea of starting a new year fresh. I like to think of each day as a fresh start, no matter what year it is. This year was a little different. 2010 was not my best year, although, it also happens to be one I never want to forget. So, to see it come to an end was bittersweet.

We had a wonderful Christmas with our son despite the obvious hole in our family. Our son seems to understand the meaning of Christmas, which makes me proud. He knows that Christmas is Jesus' birthday, although he kept asking where Jesus is and whether there would be birthday cake involved. This gave us the opportunity to have an incredible conversation a few weeks ago. I tried to explain that Jesus is in his heart, but that didn't seem to satisfy his curious little mind. I went on to talk about Jesus being in heaven, and this intrigued him. His interest in heaven compelled me to share that Jesus is in heaven with Lily. I've been thinking more and more lately about how and when the time would be right to tell him about Lily, and now that he is aware that he will be having a baby sister, I'm thinking about it even more because I want him to know that she is not his only baby sister. Before Lily died, he was aware that there was a baby in my belly, and he had decided on his own that it was a girl. I've wondered recently if he thinks I am carrying the same baby that we've made mention to for nearly a year. I certainly don't want to confuse him by saying more than he can comprehend, but I also don't want to dismiss the life that she had when he was so aware of it. I have pointed out that his baby sister, Lily, is in heaven with Jesus, and his other baby sister is in my belly getting big and strong just to make sure he isn't confusing the two.

Who knew that the explanation about the meaning of Christmas would open the door to talk to my two year old about Lily. I had a feeling that when the time was right to talk to him about her, I would know it, and I'm so glad that it happened that way. It was heart warming to look into his big blue eyes as he listened very intently and nodded his head as I talked. He even asked to pray for Lily that night, which was incredibly touching since his recent prayer requests have been for things like the characters from Madagascar and Cars.

So, if Lily and Jesus were in heaven together on Jesus' birthday, do you think they shared birthday cake?

Owen thinks so, and who am I to argue with that? :)