BIRTHDAY Week! {Dear Lily}

My Dear Sweet Precocious Lily,

My heart melts for those squishy cheeks, those batting eyelashes, and big brown eyes. I can’t believe it’s been almost a year since I first heard you cry. It literally took my breath away; a tear rolled down into my ear before I finally took another breath. After all that hard work, you were finally entering the world, my healthy little Baby A. So anxious to come and explore.

Our first few months were hard, weren’t they boo boo? Your poor little tummy in knots, and I couldn’t walk around with you in my arms. All I wanted to do was soothe you, but all I could do was look on as someone else walked you back to sleep. I cherish every moment I get to hold you now, my little lamb.

You were so calm and slow moving in the womb, and still, you let your sister take the spotlight. You’ve always been the happy one though. First to smile, first to giggle. Every morning, we’re greeted with such excitement from your side of the room. You are the definition of Joy. “She’s such a happy baby!” people say, “What a socializer she is!”. What a blessing to give birth to someone who spreads happiness and cheer every where we go! I hope no one ever breaks that spirit in you.

Lillian, my Lillers, I just love you, my silly hilarious girl.

You test my patience and make me more angry than anyone I’ve ever known, but that toothy grin of yours breaks me like a stick over a knee. You truly are my sunshine. My bright, sunny, beautiful sunshine. So warm and already sharing. I never knew I could love like this. When I tell you no, and you look over your shoulder at me and smile, it takes every fiber of my being not to smile and laugh with you. Discipline, it turns out, is harder on me than on you.

You’re almost one year old now! You’re crawling like a speeding train, walking with your hands straight up in the air in celebration, and babbling like a flooded brook. I love every second of watching you grow. How luck am I that I get to witness all of your firsts? Exceedingly, I’d say. I love watching you shovel food into your mouth, and even though it makes me want to scream, when you spit food down your chin, it is quite possibly the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. You love every kind of food and have always eaten whatever we’ve put in front of you, and you love cooking with me, too. I like having company in the kitchen, and I can’t wait to show you all of my tricks.

I am in awe of how fast this year has gone by. The fact that we have Christmas lights up again is just baffling! It seems like just yesterday we were swaddling you in your blanket and bouncing you in your buzzy seat, hoping for an hour of peaceful sleep. Now? I love watching you sleep so peacefully with your little green binky and your pink ladybug blankie, there’s nothing more precious. I love waking up with you, so cheerful and ready to face another day. I love watching you learn new things, like drinking from your sippy cup, and watching you throw toys out of the toy box looking for that perfect bite. You are the cutest little pumpkin, all baby fat and giggles. Soon you will be a little girl, sooner than we think, and although I’ve enjoyed this year of babyhood, I’m ready to begin our next chapter together.

Thank you for choosing me to be your mommy. I hope everyday that I’m doing this right, and believe me, you let me know when I’m not! I’ve never heard the kinds of noises you can make. I’ve loved every day of mothering you, good and horribly bad and I’ve learned more lessons this year than in my entire 30 years of life. I’ve discovered a kind of love that is literally indescribable. I care about you more than any other human being on Earth. I want to be the best person I can be, because of you. I want to change the world, or at least be a part of change, so that you can live in a world where good prevails. My heart literally feels full because of your presence in my life. All because you chose me. You are blessed and loved beyond measure Lillian, and I thank God every day for you.

I love you munchkin, forever and always.

-Mommy