Happy 1st Birthday my sweet Abigail

On October 27th, 2012 at 2:07am, you entered this world and our lives changed forever. This has been the most incredible year of our lives...a bittersweet, beautiful year. You have taught us so much Abbie...and I learned so many things about myself along the way. You taught us what true, unconditional love is. You taught me to be more patient. You taught me how to live on less sleep, especially in those first couple months. You taught me how unselfish I could be in order to give you the best. You taught me to never take anything for granted. You taught us that parenthood is the hardest job in this world yet we are so blessed to have it. Loving you has brought your daddy and I closer together and has made our relationship stronger. If we can conquer parenthood together, we can conquer anything. :) Since you were growing inside me, my body changed so much and I don't know if it will ever be the same yet I embrace every single part of it because it was your home for 38 weeks and it fed you for 6 hard months. My chest was the only place you'd finally manage to fall asleep on the first few weeks you came home. My hand on your chest put you to sleep on many late nights. My heart is the one you listened to inside your womb and it's still the same one you listen to when you fall asleep next to me. My face is the one you always look for and the one that always makes you laugh and smile. For those reasons, I love myself more now than I ever have before.

And to say that I love your daddy would be putting it lightly. You see Abbie, he is truly the best daddy you could have ever asked for. He loves you so much and you should know a few things about him: he is the one that always makes sure you have enough milk, diapers and wipes here and at mom's house. He is the one that loves to play with you every night after he gets home from work. He is the one that takes you to our car every morning and the one that watches us drive away before he goes back inside. He is the one that loves it when you climb all over him. He is the one that protects us and makes us so happy. He is our everything Abbie.

I also want you to know that we are so, so lucky that Mom watches you all day, 5 days a week while mommy and daddy are at work. It's hard work Abbie yet I know Mom wouldn't want it any other way. She bathes you, always keeps you clean, she feeds you, she cooks for you, she plays with you and she loves you every single day. We are truly blessed.

I know that if Ieo, your grandpa and grandma Babes could see you every single day, they would in a heartbeat. They all love you so much and we are truly lucky to have so many people surround you with so much love.

This past month was full of so many firsts for you...

 - I started taking you a bath in the big tub and you love it. We've come a long way since taking you a bath in your pink tub with the sling on top of the bathroom sink. :) Ah, the sweet memories.

 -  Daddy took us to your 1st Dodger game! We had a lot of fun. You were a little fussy but we still had the best time because we were together. I'm sure daddy will take us to so many games as you get older.

 - You started waving goodbye with your hand! So sweet! I love seeing your little hand open and close. It's the best!

 - You started "cruising" in the house...meaning, you started walking while holding onto something. I think it will still be a bit before you officially start walking and we're ok with that. All in due time sweet pea, all in due time.

 - We went to San Diego for a couple of nights and we took you to Legoland for the first time. We had so much fun together!

                 

 - You started clapping your hands. Now if that isn't the cutest thing ever, I don't  know what is. :)

 - I discovered your 9th tooth...nine!!! I think that's why a lot of people tell me you look so big...because you have so many teeth! Now we need to put them to good use as we transition you out of mommy's pureed food.

- We took you to get some pictures taken for your first birthday and gave you cake! So this was your first time having sugar...and guess what...you liked it! :) We bought your cake from Great Dane Baking Company, the same place where mommy and daddy got their wedding cake from.

 - We took you to your very first Pumpkin Patch! This was a trip that mommy had been looking forward to for a very long time. It was so much fun and it's a memory I will never forget. 

 - You finally started drinking water out of a cup! I read about a lot of kids having success with the Zoli Bot cup so I ordered you one...I taught you how to drink from it in one night! I have to admit...it was a proud mommy moment. :)

 - This month's newly tasted foods: spaghetti, steel cut oatmeal, string cheese, strawberries, and cookies (Earth's Best Organic Honey Sticks - only the best for you :)

 - I know this may sound odd considering you've just turned a year old but you finally started crawling on your knees. You still do your cute "army crawl" from time to time but I think you've finally conquered good 'ole fashioned knee crawling. That's my girl. :)


We've learned a lot about one another in the past year sugar plum...and we still have so much to learn but oh Abbie, I look forward to every single day of being your mommy. Your daddy and I love you so, so much. May God bless you and us with many, many, many more years together. We can't wait to see what the next year will be like with you. Happy 1st birthday sweetheart.