Saturday, January 11, 2014

January 11, 2014

Dearest Nola, 

Happy 1 year! Sweet girl, we did it! We started this journey a year ago today, both knowing very little about who we were in our new roles. 

You - a tiny human trying to figure out your schedule, who you could count on to take care of you, when you should sleep, what life was going to be like, etc. 

Me - a woman trying to find my way, figuring out how to take care of said tiny person, how to function on no sleep, realizing how life was going to be so different, etc.


A few years ago, I was pretty sure this day would never come. A day when I could celebrate my own baby girl's 12 month birthday. A day when I could truly thank God for giving me this blessing that I don't know how I even deserved it. So, thank you God for this miracle. I never knew I could have a beautiful, healthy baby and here you are celebrating your first birthday. 

You are so full of love and life that other people want to be around you all the time. Your personality shines through and you light up the room when you enter. You are loud, active and keep us on our toes at all times. You are spunky, tough, stubborn, rotten, sweet, smart, funny, sassy and all together pretty perfect. I know I've been spoiled with such a good baby and I'm grateful for that. 

I want to thank you for your beautiful smile and the fact that you know just the right time to use it. I truly think you are the most amazing and pretty little girl I've ever seen. 

Being your mom has been more than I could ever dreamed or imagined. I truly had no idea what it would be like. I didn't know I would love you this much, that it would be this hard...this rewarding, this life-changing, this special. You are more than I thought you could be. And you've made me more than I thought I could be. 

We made it. We've figured it out together. So, here's to 1 year in the books. I know I will blink and you'll be 18, so I'm doing my best to take it all in and appreciate every moment I have.

Nola, thank you for being you. My wishes for your future go beyond what I can type in words and I'm so very glad to be a part of it. All of it. I love you to the moon and back. You have no idea.