officially a 1-year-old

dear ellie,

today you turn one year old. that means one year of your life is already behind you, and that is even more amazing to me than when you turned three months, six months, even nine months old. so often lately i’ve found myself wondering where the time goes, marveling at how fast a year has flown by. what a joyous milestone you’ve reached today.

i can remember this day one year ago. i woke up on a monday morning with plans to organize all the gifts and baby gear we received at the shower just two days before, to put everything in its place and have your nursery ready for you to come home to. i was going to be prepared – as i am for most things – and you, my gorgeous bundle of joy, weren’t due to arrive for another four weeks.

but arrive you did, just four hours after i checked into the hospital. arrive you did into a fluorescent light-filled operation room surrounded by the kindest of doctors and nurses, into the arms of the happiest mommy and the proudest daddy in the whole wide world, welcomed by one great big family who could not possibly love you more.

this year i’ve watched you evolve from a mostly stationary, bald pooping machine to a nearly-walking little princess with a sparkling personality all your own. hair covers (most of) your head, your neck is finally visible and seven of your teeth have emerged. you have the longest lashes and the most piercing blue eyes of anyone i know. in fact, your eyes are the feature you receive the most compliments on … well, those and your chubby cheeks.

you’re still on a solid sleep schedule of twelve hours a night and you take two naps during the day – one in the morning and one in the afternoon – for approximately an hour each. in general you’re a happy baby. you’re far less serious than you were in the early months of your life, and much, much sillier. your laugh is music to my ears.

you understand a lot more than we sometimes give you credit for, too, which has become especially apparent over the last week. when i say “where’s daddy?” you look toward the door in anticipation of seeing him walk through it. when i say “go kiss bunny,” you hustle over to your pink bunny chair and plow into it face-first. that is how you kiss stuffed animals, but you are much more gentle when giving kisses to mommy and daddy. you lower your eyes and slowly bend your face toward ours, simultaneously melting our hearts with each kiss.

and today? today i asked you where your bellybutton is, and you lifted your shirt to show me. then i asked you where mine is, and you did the same to me. this is only one of many reasons i am convinced that you are a genius.

i will never be able to express in words the depth of my love for you, miss elinor isabel. i love you to the moon and back – every hair on your head, every expression you make, every tear you cry. i love you in a way you won’t understand until you have a child of your own. i hope you feel the love i have for you every day of your life.

happy 1st birthday, my little lady <3

love,
mommy