To My One Year Old Livie

Dearest Liv,

The past year my heart has grown immeasurably, no one but a Mother could possibly understand how lucky I have been....blessed beyond measure.  From the moment they brought you to me in the hospital room and I could hold you & kiss you - you were a priceless gift being handed over to a new "me".  I walked into a new chapter of my life as soon as you entered this world.  How could I ever had prepared my heart for the way you would capture it w/ your tiny sweet little being?  The days after you were born are some of the sweetest one of my life - when it was just me and you - and all my agenda consisted of was taking care of you.  I cradled you, nursed you, sang to you, whispered how special you are, dressed you - - simply put I loved you 24 hours around the clock.  It will always mark the happiest days of my life - easily!  Thank you for being such a content baby, letting me love you and enjoy being with you.  I have been spoiled as a new Mom - thanks to your Dad too who gets up every morning w/ you (to this day) and spends the first hour (or two) w/ you - so that mommy can have some uninterrupted rest or time to take a quick shower and ease into my day!

I can remember holding you in the middle of the night, at only a few weeks old, and I wanted to snap shot the feelings in my heart, to capture the sweetness of your face because I knew how fleeting the moments and the days were going to be.  If there is a way to revisit moments in life of pure happiness - those were moments I would be happy to relive over and over again.    My heart has never stopped saying "THANK YOU GOD" every day since you were born.  Those, are not just words Livie, they are heartfelt truths.  I have been given an enormous gift just being your mom.

So onto today... the last 12 months have gone by, 52 weeks, and 365 days of loving you and getting to know you.  You light up our world with your smile!  You wave to everyone - including random shoppers in Target!  You are pulling yourself up and I know you will soon be walking! You say da-da, uh-oh, mama (mostly when you are upset ;)).  You have 4 teeth!  Two on the top and two on the bottom.  Your top two teeth have a little gap in it and I have to admit - it's darling! Your favorite toys are your princess bath dolls that you play with in and out of the bath - Snow White, Cinderella, Ariel, Belle, Aurora, & Rapunzel - you love them all! Speaking of bath, you love bath time! Your favorite food is definitely bread, but you also love grilled chicken, pineapple, peaches, and blueberry waffles! Recently, you have taken your dolls and held them in a cradle position and say awwww....it's the cutest!  You cross your arms over your chest when you see dada or me come in the room, or come home if we have been gone, and you hug yourself as if to give us hugs!  You know it's showing affection to us!  It's the sweetest thing I've ever seen!  Your sweet nature is just infectious and we are so proud of the little girl you are becoming!

We thank Heaven, our lucky stars, God up above for giving us our wish come true....YOU!  Tomorrow is your 1st Birthday party - appropriately themed - When you Wish Upon a little Star!

We love you Livie - to the moon & all the twinkling stars & back again a million times over!

xo mommy & dada