Sweet Baby Gracie,
At 10:30 pm on the Eve of your 1st birthday you woke up crying. This is relatively unusual, as typically once you go down for the night you have been sleeping pretty well. I went in to check on you and you needed nothing more than to be held by your mama. When I tried to put you down you cried once again, so I seized the moment to cuddle you more in my bed and hold you as you officially entered into toddlerhood. As I lay with you asleep peacefully on my chest with your hand lovingly placed on my cheek I am reminded of all the beauty and love that you have given our family in this past year. I am also thinking back to how full circle this moment seems to be. A year ago you were listening to my heart beat from inside my belly and tonight as we approach your 1st birthday you are once again listening to my heartbeat from the outside as a girl who has had her 1st year of growths, memories and milestones. So as you sleep on my chest I feel compelled to write you your 1st year letter.
Gracie, you are a delight and a joy. You are such a sweet and kind girl and have been such a wonderful baby. I have loved watching you grow and learn and each day I am just taken back by your easy disposition and adorable smile.
As a baby you were relatively easy given the inherent busyness of life with an older sister. You were an excellent nurser and even refused to take a bottle or formula. You followed many of the sleep regressions that your sister did, but this time around I wasn't so strong in the sleep training department. I took a little more relaxed approach and would nurse you back to sleep until 11 months. Although at times tiring I really enjoyed that one on one time with you in the quiet of the night. I figured when you were ready you would sleep on your own, and I wasn't in need of rushing it. You were attached to me as a baby and I loved it. Rarely could another person even Daddy hold you for too long before you wanted to be back in the arms of mommy. Around the time that many kids develop stranger danger (6 months) you began to embrace other people around you. You started to army crawl at 9 months but didn't officially crawl until closer to 11. You and your sister have kept each other busy, laughing, playing and getting into stuff together. To see you two together warms my heart. You are always eager to see what Brylie is doing and she can make you laugh more than anyone else. At a year you love peek a boo, balls, macaroni and cheese, pianos. apples, and being outside. You can say mama, dada, apple - (app), Turtle (tut tut) and you love to giggle. You love to blow kisses and will wave and say hi to everyone that you pass by.
I can't help but watch you as you sleep and think of all the possibilities that this life may have for you ahead. I can only hope that you will know how deeply you are loved, have confidence in who you are, gratitude for what you have and a heart to serve others.
I love you more than you will ever know. Thanks for being our daughter and for giving me the gift of being your mother. I look forward to all the adventures that lie ahead.
Happy 1st birthday Graceyn!
Love,
Mommy
At 10:30 pm on the Eve of your 1st birthday you woke up crying. This is relatively unusual, as typically once you go down for the night you have been sleeping pretty well. I went in to check on you and you needed nothing more than to be held by your mama. When I tried to put you down you cried once again, so I seized the moment to cuddle you more in my bed and hold you as you officially entered into toddlerhood. As I lay with you asleep peacefully on my chest with your hand lovingly placed on my cheek I am reminded of all the beauty and love that you have given our family in this past year. I am also thinking back to how full circle this moment seems to be. A year ago you were listening to my heart beat from inside my belly and tonight as we approach your 1st birthday you are once again listening to my heartbeat from the outside as a girl who has had her 1st year of growths, memories and milestones. So as you sleep on my chest I feel compelled to write you your 1st year letter.
Gracie, you are a delight and a joy. You are such a sweet and kind girl and have been such a wonderful baby. I have loved watching you grow and learn and each day I am just taken back by your easy disposition and adorable smile.
As a baby you were relatively easy given the inherent busyness of life with an older sister. You were an excellent nurser and even refused to take a bottle or formula. You followed many of the sleep regressions that your sister did, but this time around I wasn't so strong in the sleep training department. I took a little more relaxed approach and would nurse you back to sleep until 11 months. Although at times tiring I really enjoyed that one on one time with you in the quiet of the night. I figured when you were ready you would sleep on your own, and I wasn't in need of rushing it. You were attached to me as a baby and I loved it. Rarely could another person even Daddy hold you for too long before you wanted to be back in the arms of mommy. Around the time that many kids develop stranger danger (6 months) you began to embrace other people around you. You started to army crawl at 9 months but didn't officially crawl until closer to 11. You and your sister have kept each other busy, laughing, playing and getting into stuff together. To see you two together warms my heart. You are always eager to see what Brylie is doing and she can make you laugh more than anyone else. At a year you love peek a boo, balls, macaroni and cheese, pianos. apples, and being outside. You can say mama, dada, apple - (app), Turtle (tut tut) and you love to giggle. You love to blow kisses and will wave and say hi to everyone that you pass by.
I can't help but watch you as you sleep and think of all the possibilities that this life may have for you ahead. I can only hope that you will know how deeply you are loved, have confidence in who you are, gratitude for what you have and a heart to serve others.
I love you more than you will ever know. Thanks for being our daughter and for giving me the gift of being your mother. I look forward to all the adventures that lie ahead.
Happy 1st birthday Graceyn!
Love,
Mommy
Our sweet baby girl on the Eve of her Birthday sleeping peacefully between Mommy and Daddy!
Graceyn today on her actual birthday. We walked to Starbucks and the park to celebrate. She has been practicing this trick for a couple of weeks, but now it actually a correct statement. When you ask her how old she is she will smile and hold up her finger.
