Tara's 1st Birthday Party

1 Year

Dear Tara,

You are now one year old. One full, beautiful year. That's hard for me to believe, and this letter is hard for me to type. I've been putting off writing for a few days now. I first told myself that I simply wanted to wait until you'd had your one year check up, so that I could record your newest height and weight, but your appointment was last week Tuesday and still I didn't sit down to write. No, the truth is just that I don't have the words to describe this past year and the impact that your being here has had.

So, let's start with the basics. You were born on June 1st, 2012 at 11:32pm. You weighed 7 lbs 9 oz and were 19.5 inches long. Today, you weight 21 lbs 6 oz and are a whopping 31 inches long. You're a tall little girl! You have 4 teeth, the top and bottom two. Your hair is getting long and is starting to fall into your eyes, but I can't bear to cut it just yet.

In the past month you've developed more new skills than I can count. Something about turning 1 really lit a fire in you. You understand basic questions, such as being able to locate specific toys when we play. Your babble will soon turn into words, as right now you frequently seem to mimic what we say. A week ago Sunday you could pull up on furniture and every so often would let go and stand freely for one or two seconds. By Monday you could stand up completely without assistance and stand for multiple seconds at a time. One day, that's all it took! Now you stand all the time and everywhere that you can, including places you really shouldn't, like the top step of the deck. Clearly, walking isn't very far behind.

Speaking of the deck, one of your very favorite things right now is to climb up and down (and up and down...). I don't mind much, because it's just so nice sitting on the deck playing with you and being outside in the nice weather.

You love your Winnie the Pooh bear. He sleeps with you each night and we often find you cuddling him in the morning. Bouncing a ball back and forth on the deck is now one of your favorite activities, and you really have good aim! You've also started to dance.

You have now have opinions and emotions, and while learning how to handle them is very difficult for you (and therefore us), we know that this is an important step in your development.

Tara, I can't explain how amazing watching you grow really is. You move through the day with such a beautiful exuberance and joy. Everything is exciting and new to you. Your smile lights up my day. In just one year you've gone from a tiny, helpless newborn to a feisty, vibrant little girl. Everyday I can see a little more of your babyhood slipping away, and I'll be honest that I'm sad to see it go. With every layer of baby that drops away, though, a new element of the person you will become emerges.

I often think that I can't wait to share some future activity with you when you're older, and about how much fun that will be, but the truth is, I can wait. I will wait. Those moments will be fun, without doubt. I will enjoy watching you grow, and learn, and go out into the world. But I won't wish for them to come early. I won't ask to jump ahead, because the days already fly by so fast. Instead, I will enjoy every minute of the present with you, because I don't want to miss a single thing.

I love you baby girl, with all my heart.

Love, Mama