First Birthday

Oh Baby! How can it be that we have had you for a year? You precious child. The fifth child that I always dreamed would complete our family but until I held you in my arms I believed that you were a dream too good to be true. And when you were born — one year ago today — I couldn’t believe that I had been given the gift of you. An amazing, beautiful precious baby girl. I’ve held you as much as I could over the past 365 days, knowing that you have places to go and things to do. So I’ve held you and rocked you for as many hours as I could find, holding on to you my precious little baby girl. And even in this first year we have come to know you not just as our baby — the baby this large family adores! But you — as an individual, as a person, as a unique little personality who adds your own spark to our family and to our lives. The baby who looked at us at one week old with that furrowed brow! From the very beginning you wondered about us. There has always been just a touch of wisdom in your face. The baby who quietly sat and took in the commotion. Hours of sitting quietly and watching your brothers and sister run and jump and yell. Until finally, after months and months of watching, you decided to jump in — laughing, yelling, crawling after them, unfazed by their craziness. And you — my affectionate baby. Hugging your dad. Hugging your friends. Laying your face on my cheek and my shoulder. You have so much love in your heart and we receive the gift of your presence in our family. The amazing thing is, after four incredible children, we needed you, baby. We needed you. The sweet baby who could see, from your earliest days, the love in this family, and came into the family ready to be an essential link in these circles of love. Today I celebrate you my sweet girl. I am so thrilled to be your mom and to be able to travel this journey of life with you. I love you angel. I love you so much.