Happy Holidays!

From our home to yours! May this holiday season bring you many blessings! Love to you all!

One

I know I'm about a week late on this, but it's the thought, right?!?

To my sweet baby girl:

You are one! One year ago, my life changed in a way that I never could have fathomed. Late on Tuesday, December 8th, you made your debut into this crazy world. I was exhausted after nearly 30 hours of labor, but I knew one thing, I already loved you more than life itself. I would do anything for you. I went back to work only 4 weeks after you were born. I knew it was going to be hard to go back to work and leave you home, but I knew the longer I stayed home with you, the harder it would be to go back. I was only working 3 days a week, so that made it a little bit easier. You were so lucky because at the time, your daddy was a stay-at-home daddy and you got to spend your first 7 months at home with dad! He loved every second of it!

It is so fun to see your little life evolving every day, right in front of me. Every day presents a new challenge for you and you are a little go-getter and face everything head on. You are so smart and pick up on everything so quickly. You love to repeat everything that mom says. Your favorite words are "hi", "bye", "dada", "please", "papa", and "Scott". It bothers me a little that you don't love to say "mama", except when you are upset! You love to watch Harry Potter with your dad. Strange for a one year old because they are pretty dark movies, but it's still so cute! Your most favorite thing to do right now is talk on the phone! EVERYTHING you touch becomes your phone. It is seriously the cutest thing and you have been doing it since you were about 8 months old! You are so outgoing and so independent. Dr. Joe said at your check up today that all of your mannerisms are typical of a very intelligent child...but I already knew you were smart! From day one, you have been so curious about everything that goes on around you, and that has never changed.

I love getting ready with you in the morning because I think it is so cute when you try to put your own makeup on and you try to do your own hair! You LOVE putting lotion on, and even moreso, you love eating it! You are such a diva! You were so spoiled on your birthday and you did not care one bit about the toys, you wanted the clothes! Every outfit you opened you put it on your head to try it on!

You have such a strong personality and you are my very best friend! I love spending every spare second that I have getting to know you and watching you learn and grow. Thank you for choosing me to be your mommy. You are truly a blessing in my life and I can't imagine life without you in it. Happy 1st birthday, baby girl!

I love you more than anything!

Mommy