My Dearest, Gwendolyn Sue,
A year ago, I was patiently waiting to welcome you into
this world. At 10:00 AM on August 8, I heard your sweet cries for the very first
time. It was like music to my ears – one of the sweetest sounds. And, then I saw your beautiful face for the
first time and my heart instantly filled with love as the tears streamed down
my face. It was a moment that I had dreamed about since I found out you
existed. It was a moment I had played over and over in my head and yet I was
not prepared for the amount of love I would feel in that instant. One year ago,
I breathed the biggest sigh of relief. One year ago, I spent the entire night
just staring at your sweet face, your tiny fingers, your adorable toes, your
button nose and your precious little lips. One year ago, you made my heart
whole.
It is hard for me to comprehend that it’s time to celebrate
your first birthday. This past year has
been nothing short of amazing. You went from being a teeny tiny baby to a very intelligent and high
spirited little one year old in the blink of an eye. You went from being a
newborn who spent hours at a time cuddling in my arms to a walking and talking
child who won’t sit still! You went from knowing only the love and comfort of your loved ones' arms to being able to explore the world around you on your own (while someone walks right behind you!). I blinked and you became a toddler.
Everything about you is addicting – I can never seem to get
enough of you. Every time I look at you, I smile. You are such a happy little girl
and you have a smile that just lights up an entire room. You are a genuine
sweetheart and when you wrap your little hands around my neck or lay your head
on my shoulder, I feel my heart instantly warm inside me. It is hard to put this into words because it’s
a feeling I just can’t quite describe. But, you and I have a connection. I don’t
know if it’s because you are my second child, because you are probably my last,
because you are a girl, because you are my rainbow baby, or a combination of
all of the above. There is something about you that draws me in. I feel like
you are my kindred spirit. It’s an amazing feeling and I thank you for making me whole.
You are hilarious. And, you know it. You make the
silliest faces and when we laugh or smile, you do it again! The girl of a thousand faces is what I call you. The noises that
come out of your mouth crack us all up and you continue to make them once you
get a laugh from us. Everyone is drawn to you because of your personality – you are definitely one of a kind! You certainly make life more enjoyable.
You are laid back, but also very determined and know what you want. You are a SMART little girl. I am so impressed by how quickly you learn something. You will try and try again until you have it figured out. I could just watch you for hours because I can see the wheels turning in that head of yours! You repeat things and mimic everything. You are also very independent. You definitely like to be in someone's arms/near someone, but you are so good at playing independently. You will read your books or play with your toys (or Jameson's toys!) all by yourself for long periods of time.
I have no doubt that you will go far in life...and, that my dear, is what I hope for you. I hope that you have every ounce of confidence in yourself to be who you want to be. I hope that you have the courage to follow your dreams and goals and the determination to never give up on them. I hope that you live your life with a kind and compassionate heart and always respect yourself and others. I pray that you live a life overflowing with happiness and love.
I hope you know that today and always, I am here for you. I
will support you and lift you up when you need it the most. I promise to always
listen with an open mind. I promise to be your hand to hold and your shoulder
to lean on. Whenever you doubt yourself or the world around you, I hope that you turn to me for support and guidance. Most importantly, I will never let a day go by without telling and showing you just how much I love you and how much you mean to me and this family.
Happy first birthday, my sweet little rainbow. You are loved
beyond measure. To the moon and back.
 |
| Thank you Sarah Rogers Photography for capturing this picture! |
