You are one year old today! I honestly can't believe it. Every mother says this but I feel like you have been a part of our lives forever, yet part of me can vividly remember holding your tiny little body for the first time just like it was yesterday. I remember looking you over from head to toe on the day you were born with sheer awe. From the moment you were born, I've felt a protectiveness over you that only a mother can understand. I never knew I could love someone as much as I do you and my love for you grows by the minute. This year has without a doubt been the best year of my life. Becoming your mommy has been the most rewarding and fulfilling role I've ever experienced. It hasn't always been easy and I've had plenty of stressful moments along this journey and doubted my ability to be a mommy many times but we've survived! I hope you always know just how much I love you. I pray every night for your happiness, health and that you'll always know I'm here for you and how much I love you. Some of the highlights/memories of our first year with you include:
- Meeting you for the first time. You looked right up at me when the nurse placed you on my chest. You were so alert right from the beginning.
- Seeing your Daddy hold you for the first time with a love I can only describe as pure intensity and compassion is probably the most precious memory of the year.
- Witnessing your grandparents, Granny, Juju & Daddy Steve, hold you for the first time with so much pride and unconditional love. You've had many memorable times with your grandparents over your 1st year of life.
- Getting to talk to my Mom, your grandmother, about motherhood has been a unique bonding experience for us.
- Making your Uncle Doug and Aunt Birdie a first time aunt and uncle has been so special and FUN! They love introducing you to their friends and getting you to do your latest tricks. I know you are going to have a lot of fun with them over the years!
- Meeting your great-grandparents, Jan Jan and Sam, when you were 1 month old. I'll never forget handing you over to Jan Jan in Juju's kitchen in Dothan. She just smiled and smiled as she sang to you and rocked you to sleep. Sam cautiously watched from a distance but it didn't take long for him to pick you up. You were smitten with Sam from the beginning.
- Watching your beautiful girl cousins, Payton and Finley, dote on you when you were just 6 weeks. I'll also always remember handing you over to Aunt Dana at Superior Grill so I could eat on our first restaurant evening out! Aunt Dana is my "go to" person for parenting/baby advice. She's a pro!
- Introducing you to your great Uncle Quin and the Panama City Crew over the 4th of July weekend along with your Juju's entire family. You met all of mommy's "crazy" cousins, aunts, and uncles! You also got to go on Quin's boat for the first time at 6 weeks old.
- The precious moments that you and I shared those first 3 months of your life. We spent all day every day together, just us. We were still in the apartment and I pretty much just stared at you all day and jumped at your every move. Every afternoon, we'd go sit on the swing at our apartment complex and wait for Daddy.
- Your Daddy and I panicking in the middle of the night when we couldn't figure out why you were crying. Ohhhh, the sleepless night how I don't miss you!
- Mommy returning to work - PHEW! I didn't think we'd survive that transition, buddy! I've never had so much anxiety and sadness about anything in my entire life, but as God promised, it's ended up working out for the best. Your Daddy and I prayed and prayed and prayed about this decision.
- Your first trip to the ER (in the middle of the night) on the opening night of the new Benjamin Russell Hospital for Children (where mommy works) because your parents are way too paranoid and took you in for a mild case of the "sniffles." We happened to run into one of Mommy's oncology patients in the ER which quickly put everything into perspective.
- Moving to our first home in September 2012.
- Your baptism in the same church where Mommy was baptized.
- Your first Halloween and how you dressed up as a pumpkin. We took you to the pumpkin patch while Granny was in town. Aunt Birdie and Lee-Lee went with us to Boo at the Zoo, which is so silly looking back on it because you could not have cared less about being there!
- 1st Thanksgiving in Dothan. You weren't eating any solids then so you didn't get to partake in the Thanksgiving feast.
- Our little family's 1st Christmas tree in our new home. You loved looking at the tree and taking off your favorite bell ornament.
- 1st Christmas in Texas at Granny's house - the polar express train ride, Christmas Eve in Waco, and Christmas Day meeting your granddaddy's (and namesake's) family and it snowed!
- Your 1st New Year's Eve at Aunt Ray Ray's and The Godfather's house. You slept in your pack n' play.
- Picking you up from school and watching you quit whatever you are busy doing to quickly crawl or walk to me as fast as you can. You always nuzzle your little face into my neck. I've decided that's your way of giving kisses and love :)
- Hearing you say "mama" for the 1st time and Mommy almost bursting into tears.
- Hearing you say "dada" over and over and over.
- Watching you squeal and kick your legs when we stand at the door waiting for Daddy to come home.
- Your first steps shortly after you turned 11 months old.
- Your 1st Easter in Dothan and first time sitting at Jan Jan's dining room table.
April 25, 2012 - your day.
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