Dear Kaitlin –
Today you turn 1 year old. I cannot believe that you have been in our lives for only one short year, but it feels as though you should have been here all along. Every day you are growing more and more and becoming this amazing little person that I cannot believe is my very own daughter. How special do I feel that God allowed me to be your mother?! Today, you gave me a very special gift…you were sick today, runny nose and all…so guess who got to stay home with you on your birthday? ME!! I think that was the best gift ever – to be able to snuggle you and hang out with you, and nap with you ALL DAY long. And I loved every.single.minute of it. As the moments passed today with you, I couldn’t help but re-collect what was happening in that hospital room at each moment, and what a special day that was. At 7:54 pm, your dad and I cheers’d to you, our beautiful daughter and what an amazing joy you have been to us this year. We are both better people today because of you.
This year came with many challenges, and new experiences for both me and you, but I wouldn’t change any moment of any time that I was able to spend with you. There are so many things that you did this year that I don’t want to forget. Most of the big milestones I did write down in your little keepsake calendar, but I just don’t want to forget what your little personality was like this year, and why I fell in love with you over and over every day. I don’t want to forget bath-time with you, my absolute favorite time of night. We would go and get you undressed in your room and when that diaper comes off, oh-boy!! You have a HUGE smile on your face, it’s a little mischievous, but how could I not smile back at you?! Once we got you in the tub, it was either rubber ducky directly into your mouth with some “awwwws” or some “ohhhhhhs”, or my favorite…. the splashing and squealing! You splash with such vigor that you would squeal with delight and then look up at me, as if to say “Isn’t that the coolest thing that I just did?!”…and it was baby girl, it really was. After you were all nice and clean, we would go in for our goodnight kiss from daddy and play “peek-a-boo” with the towel for a couple of minutes, and you got to be really good at taking off the towel from your face.
Ohhh…my heart aches a little to think that this year is over, but leaps with delight at the year to come. How much you are going to grow again, and how much more in love with you I am going to fall.
Kaitlin Anne, Happiest of Birthdays ever.