Birthday Girl...

Dear Lillian June...
You turned one year old today. You have been in this world for exactly 365 days. Who knew that these past 365 days would have been the best days in your dad's and my life so far? Who knew?
There were days when I wasn't sure we'd make it here. Those days were mostly in the first few months of your life, specifically when I was trying to feed you in the middle of night while watching your dad snooze away next to me. And maybe that one time when you threw up on me over and over and over. Or the time you flipped out on the plane ride home from Orange County--when it was just me and a lot of really po'd business travelers. BUT, we did make it. And we made it together. We have so many great memories of your first year of life and luckily, we have lots of pictures to remind us of those great moments.

You were a 10 pound baby. I'm not sure if you'll ever know the significance of this until you are carrying around your own baby one day, but let me tell you, you were heavy. But worth the work! I'd do it again a million times if I got you at the end of it all. I still can't believe it's been a year since my insides were set aside so Dr. Graham could yank you out.

That week we spent in the hospital, although exhausting, was exhilarating and is permanently etched in my brain--everything from the your first moments when I was begging someone to tell me a little about you, to the nights you spent curled up on my chest. You looked so lonely in that little plastic cage that I sacrificed my sleep so that you could be cozy with me. I think we slept like that for the first month of your life. It didn't take long for you to get too big for this and you'd slide off in the night, freaking me out and making me realize that it was time to put you in your own bed.

You have all kinds of new tricks these days. You love to clap...so much so that you pretty much clap at everything. As you get older, you are making it known that you know who your people are. You clap when I come pick you up from the nursery at the gym and when I come get you from your naps. You like to point too. It's your way of communicating, I think. It seems to work for you, because I'm pretty sure you get everything you want.

You like to laugh. One of your favorite things is to have us chase you around on the floor. You turn and start crawling so fast, but then you start laughing and you can't go any further. Your teeth are coming in all over the place and for some reason, it's your teeth that make me realize you are growing up. That and the rate and which you inhale goldfish crackers.

My favorite time of day to be with you is just before you go down for the night. Not because you are going to sleep for 12 hours and giving your dad and me a nice little break, but because you nuzzle into the crook of my arm and wait for your nightly bedtime story. You know exactly what to do, it's so cute. I love when you are done with your bottle and you start jonesing for your bink.

Basically, you are my little light. You make my days brighter and I'm having so much fun hanging out with you. I love your dad so much for making this possible. He works very hard so that we can kick it all day together and we need to be sure to let him know how much we appreciate his sacrifices. We go to Target A LOT and he never says anything about it because he knows how much YOU love Target. He's the best, but I have a feeling you already know this.

So, here's to the next 365 days. I know they will be full of new adventures, new milestones, and new smiles. We can't wait to do it all with you!