Happy Birthday Girl!

What a Day!

Or even what a year, really. I just can't believe how much she means to me. Her every success is amazing to me, her discoveries teach me new things, her laughter lights my world up like a fire cracker.

She is incredible.

It's 9:15 and I am thinking of this time last year, the pain, the anticipation, that life changing moment when I held her in my arms, saw her with my own eyes, and I heard her cry out loud.

And now when she cries out loud, boy is it loud.


She is such an interesting little person. To watch her see a challenge - take that challenge is inspiring. She is confident, strong, curious, concerned...she is so aware of her surroundings, other people's feelings, and what she wants.

It is a joy to know her better each day.


As she played with her friends at her 1st birthday party today, I really enjoyed thinking of all the things she has learned pretty much right along side of them. They have learned to crawl and pull up and cruise and walk and dance and play together.

I am excited to watch as her relationships grow and she learns to interact even more.

She learns so fast. It blows my mind.


Here is a centerpiece from her party. Thank you Grandmama! Those flowers were absolutely beautiful!


My little cake monster.


Tomorrow marks the anniversary of her first day home, and it is hard to believe she was this little helpless thing that stayed snuggled in a blanket and slept and slept and slept.

Now she walks and talks and runs and froggy jumps and feeds herself and shows me what she wants and laughs and plays and gets shy and gets loud and sings and dances and knows how things work and finds out how new things work and shows me how they work and wears herself and me and her dad out every day.

She moves so fast, thinks so fast, does whatever she wants so fast I can already barely keep up with her, so I can only imagine how quickly this year will add to her growing repertoire of skills.


Happy Birthday, angel. You are just that...an angel. And you light fire in the eyes and hearts of everyone you make eye contact with. You are our little firecracker, and all I can say is "world, stand back."


And your father and I are so lucky and grateful that we get to be such a big part of that.

We couldn't love anything more than you.