I am a few days late in writing this letter to you my sweet, sweet, sweet daughter, but I suspect that in the grand scheme of things you won't hold that against me. This past weekend we celebrated your one-year birthday. It was a wonderful celebration attended by me, your dad, your Nanny, Poppy, our cousins Gail, Max and Derek, our neighbors and closest friend. We had some gourmet PB&J sandwiches and a lovely giant cupcake that you quaintly poked at--so amusing. You were blessed with a wonderful selection of toys and gifts from loved ones. And so far your favorite by far has been the drum set including several other noise maker that you received from the Gilmore boys (a big FAT THANKS to Michelle-- I will re-pay you for that gem!).
It's hard to believe that a year ago you came into this world (on the coldest night of last winter--middle of the night mind you), and that this past year has gone by so very fast. Life has never moved so fast before for your father and me. In fact there were many days and months that crept by at a snail's pace as we anxiously awaiting to find out if you were a girl or a boy in my tummy and then anxiously awaiting your late late late arrival. The love that has grown in our hearts over this first year was effortless. It took me a little while to get into the swing of having someone needing me so very much—in a good way of course! After we got down a routine most things were pretty smooth sailing and I loved that feeling of you needing and wanting me. I want to thank you for making the first year of your life a very enjoyable one and EASY. It was not only relatively easy, but really fun to watch you grow. You are such a good natured baby with the happiest disposition, everyone notices it. You smile all the time and love to make others laugh at you and with you. My cup runneth over! The joy is indescribable. If I had to pick one word to describe your first year I would pick happy. You were happy and our whole family has been happy. I think that you make everyone's life around you better.
Milestones. You smiled at 4 weeks (and a few times before while sleeping- we called those booby dreams-- which you may kill me for that someday...). You rolled over at 5 weeks, and consecutively did by 2 months. You sat up at 4 months. You ate your first baby food at 4 months and were eating hard food regularly at 7 months. Your first tooth came around 6 months. You started crawling (or inching as we called it) at 6 1/2 months and were soon a locomotion all over the place. You started standing/pulling yourself up at 7 months (although you did stand up for the first time while still in the hospital, you have had incredibly strong legs since utero). You have been finger tip walking since 8 months and at 10 months you took your first step. As of now you will take sets of 3 to 10 steps at a time, but you currently crawl faster than you walk so you haven't completely mastered the art yet, but we call you a walker. You have said 3 words repeatedly and some others on rare occasion which we aren't really sure if you know that you said them or they just slipped out, either way we count you as genius! 1st word was "baba", 2nd word was "da-da", which is now on occasion is "Dad" and your 3rd word was "Momma", obviously your favorite word ; )
You have been on several plane rides, and to 3 other states outside of our wonderful state of Tennessee. You should be considered a world traveler of babies. We have flown to NJ and FL on several occasions. We also drove to OH, which you were an angel the whole drive. We will probably take those trip on several more occasions, something to look forward to! On your first 3 flights most people didn't know I even had a baby as you were such an angel, you never made a peep. However on our last 2 flights the whole plane knew you were present. Not because you were bad, but because you had to make friends with everyone. Poking you head up, around and about the seats to smile at people all around us until you were countered with a smile or laugh in return.
You are truly such a fun baby! You were the inspiration for Jared and Bethany to get pregnant. You will soon meet baby Bennett, I just know that you will love her as you love everybody! In addition to being a happy baby, you are a tester! Something that your father thanks me for. As we both like to test our limits. When someone says stop we both have to do it just 1 more time. Your favorite is to test your dad with the cabinet doors, it's so not funny but it soo is! He will say stop and even give you little pop, you will sulk with your forehead against the cabinet door for a short moment but then once more you have to open the cabinet door, even if it's just the smallest fraction of a hair open. Sorry that I passed this down. My mom says I've always done the same thing. Maybe it's our form of defiance ha!
This letter is definitely making you seem like an angelic figure, but there were times where you are not. We had quite some issues with your eating habits!! You nursed great from day 1, however trying to transition you to a bottle and formula were some traumatic moments for me. It took me 11, yes 11 bottles to find one that you would take. And you never really did care for the taste of formula, which I really don't blame you that stuff tastes nasty! You did however love you some cow's milk, thank the dear Lord b/c i just could not make anymore!! There were some rough nights when you were cutting teeth, but for the most part a good sleeper (started sleeping through the night consecutively at 7 ½ weeks). One other issue we have had is your ear infections. Not that you have had that many but we never have any clue that you have one; doctor says you have an incredibly high pain tolerance. You obviously get that from me tehe! Sorry for the times we didn't catch them earlier and you were in unnecessary pain, but you just never complain or make a peep its hard to tell! There is nothing like seeing your baby in pain. I would do anything to take your pain away!
You have been going to CornerStone Church Preschool since you were 13 weeks old. Every teacher that you have had as told me that you were favorite and not to tell b/c they aren't supposed to have favorites. And they were so very sad to see you move up to the next class. On most days when I go in to pick you up you are in a teachers arms or are playing with one as several of the other children are having independent play. You have them all wrapped around your finger and they so enjoy you and love playing with you. You are currently in Mrs. Lindsey's class and she offers to take you home with her all the time and offers her willingness to babysit for free as she loves you that much! I love all of the crafts you have made with your teachers for your Daddy and me. We will keep (most of) them forever.
You love phones, remotes, necklaces, hairbrushes, dolls and your cash register. You are a girly girly at heart and we love it! I try not to dress you in pink too too much as I love the way blues bring out your beautiful blue eyes and browns and blacks look so great with your gorgeous red hair. You are a doll! You favorite of all favorite things is your thumpie. You sleep with this mini tagged blanket every night and at every nap and hold it ever so tightly when you are scared or tired. And you are a thumb sucker and have been since utero, we think it is adorable. This week at the pediatricians office for you check-up Dr. Rundus commented on how beautiful you are. She said, "We have a lot of pretty babies in here but she is going to be absolutely gorgeous, I can just tell" and said that we will be extremely lucky if this next baby is as well natured and easy as you b/c two of those are unusual and that she is sure your sibling will be as beautiful, we should have a dozen--don't think we will but a fun thought to entertain for 10 seconds ha! Of course I am biased, but you truly are beautiful and will be.
If I had to make a prediction now about what kind of woman you will become, I would venture that it will involve your fun and loving personality. I think you will be a leader and you have shown your independence since day one- something that we love about you. I think that you will be a person who stands up for right and you won't be afraid to go against the grain (as a lot of things that you have done over the past year differs from other babies your age, we love your uniqueness and that you have always been above the curve and advanced in our eyes). I think you will work with people and find ways to improve their lives as you love other people and love to make them smile and laugh. But only time will tell, these are just my predictions based off of what I have seen in you over the past year.
I'm looking forward to the next year. This next year you will take on a new role of big sister. I am ever so anxious to see your reaction. I know you will love this baby as you love all other babies your age, older and younger. I predict a few moments of jealousy based off of the way you scream when I hold other babies. But I think you will adapt very quickly as you have to a lot of other things, and you will maintain your amazing disposition. We love you peanut and our love for you grows more everyday!!
xoxoxoxo
Momma & Dada
