12 Months

Dear Lilah,
12 months has come and gone! One year, 365 days... I am still in shock that my baby is officially 1 year old. It really seems like just yesterday that your Daddy and I were walking around the block at night a few days after my due date, rubbing my belly, and whispering sweet promises of fun times if you would come out to meet us. There isn't a day that goes by when I don't recall at least one moment of your birth. We were giddy with excitement when those early contractions began coming in the late evening. It was our secret, and we held onto those last moments alone with you before we had to share you with the rest of the world. Your birth forever changed me; I learned more about myself during those 24 hours than I had in the previous 24 years! Your birth helped me to discover an inner strength that I wasn't sure existed beforehand. I loved you with all of my heart before I ever even laid eyes on you. The love between your Daddy and I multiplied the night that you were born. We began the day as a husband and wife and ended the day as a father and mother to a beautiful daughter.
This month you have grown so much! You are walking everywhere!! You have learned to scale the stairs with ease (much to our dismay). You love waving and saying either "Hi!" or "Bye!" to anyone that will listen. Your favorite game is peekaboo. You have learned the wonderful art of imitation! You like to pick-up my headbands from the floor and place them on your own head and walk around the house just like me. You also enjoy stealing my sunglasses and trying to wear them like I do. You enjoy playing patty-cake on long car rides, and will do just about anything to get strangers to smile at you.
This month we spent a long Easter weekend in Oklahoma City shopping for houses (more info on this later.) We also flew to New Orleans for nearly a week so that Daddy could attend a conference. You and I spent our days walking the streets of New Orleans, eating shrimp and crawfish po-boys while listening to Jazz music. We had a blast taking you to the Audubon aquarium and then the insectarium. You are growing up to be such a beautiful little girl. I can't stop my fingers from combing through your adorable little blond curls multiple times every day. You look so cute perched in your high chair at the table with us every night while you scarf down everything in sight. You have yet to meet a food you didn't enjoy. You've started to space out your nursing sessions a little over the past month, but I'm pretty sure you are still getting in at least 6-8 nursing sessions a day still. You're still hovering around the 20 pound mark. Your weight gain has slowed dramatically since you became mobile. You don't stop moving from the second your feet hit the ground in the morning until you lay your head down at night.
Beanie, thank you for the most delightfully fulfilling year of my entire life!! You are my life's biggest accomplishment. You fill our hearts with joy and our home with laughter every day!! We love you more than you can ever imagine!
It is painful for me to believe that ever year with you will fly by as quickly as this first year has! No matter how many years may pass, you will always be our baby girl!
Love,
Mom