I love you, my daughter, my treasure!
(your grandmother would write me handwritten letters ever so often all the way up through college. Whenever she wrote me a letter or sometimes when we were getting off the phone, or I was leaving home to go back to Raleigh she’d tell me how much she loved me and call me “her daughter, her treasure“. Whenever she said it, it meant SO much, and it still does whenever I think about it. So it is my hope that as you grow, and I write you letter after letter, that it’ll come to mean just as much to you as it means to me).
Today is your very first birthday!
Year one with you, my love, has been the best year of our lives.
Full of learning and growth for all of us. A lot of laughing, a lot of hugging, a ton of kissing and an abundance of love.
Love! Oh, how you’ve redefined that word for me. It’s different than any kind of love I’ve ever experienced and I can’t even begin to explain how my love for you and your love for me has forever changed me.
I thought I had life figured out before you. Turns out, I did’t have a clue. In just one year, you’ve taught me so much. How to be patient and understanding. How to be giving and make sacrifices, willingly and fully, with no expectations. How to be happy, joyful and excited about all things, big or small. How to be content with life, living and loving each moment! I can’t even express how big of an example you’ve already been and how much you’ve taught me about how to live a full life!
You’re doing so much now and growing so fast. At the eleven month mark you started taking little steps here and there with your arms raised in the air for balance. It’s been a joy to see you getting use to walking over the past few weeks and getting into everything, as I knew you would.
You’ve taken a liking to spaghetti so we’ll be eating it often :), luckily it’s your dad’s favorite too! Watching you chew and bite into things with your six little teeth makes me giggle a little. You’re picky with your food, just like me, and like to feel things with your hands before they go into your mouth. You’re very independent already, deciding that you’ll only eat if you can feed yourself (still with your hands, of course)!
Hearing you talk (babble) tickles me to pieces and your favorite sound right now is ba ba ba. You string together a lot of other sounds as well as if you’re really having a conversation so I pretend to understand which makes you go on and on and on!!!
You’ve never really liked bottles or pacifiers (except to gnaw on), so you’re still sucking on your thumb (for comfort) and pulling on your hair (when frustrated) and we’re still letting that slide, for now! At this point in our lives our day starts at 7am and you’re napping for two hours in the morning and again in the afternoon. You LOVE bath time (except the hair washing part) and it’s a struggle to get you out every single time. You usually fall asleep during the middle of a story by 8pm if I get the routine just right, waking some time between 12am and 2am to nurse. So, obviously we’re still going strong with breastfeeding (and will probably continue for the next few months). Breastfeeding has truly bonded us like nothing else ever could and I pray that we’ll forever have this inseparable bond as you get older!
You love to play, with me and by yourself! When we play patty cake you start laughing as soon as I start the song because you’ve learned that it ends with a tickle. And, as soon as we get to “put it in the oven” you stop clapping and lay face down full of giggles for the tickle-fest to come and it warms my heart each and every time. You’re stacking blocks and rings, and putting your train blocks down the chute to the caboose. You’ve recently learned how to get off the couch and climb steps, much to my dismay! When you hear music you clap and sway and “sing” and I pray that you’ll always have a love for it! When we read each day you help to turn the pages and make sounds like you’re reading aloud as well :)! And recently I’ve caught you “reading” by yourself, opening books and babbling as you slide your finger across each sentence…you clever little girl!!!
Your personality has started to shine through and I’m loving every moment. You’re curious and determined and eager to try new things. You’re also a bit silly too, and you make me laugh at the littlest things! I love when you blow bubbles SO hard you surprise yourself or make crazy sounds then giggle or whisper to no one in particular when your off playing alone!!!
One year in and I’m still checking on you before I turn in for the night, touching your belly to feel that you’re breathing. I still kiss you repeatedly when you’re sleeping in my arms and I pray over you constantly, especially in those moments.
I couldn’t imagine a world without you and I can’t thank God enough for trusting me with His precious gift to raise, to train, to love!
Even now, as I write this to you in advance, with you laying in my arms (at 1:24am, February 6, 2013), I am overwhelmed with tears of joy because I have you in my life. You’ll never fully know the depths of my love for you as it is too deep to be expressed through words. But I pray that I’m able to always show you how much you’re loved each and every day of my life.I love you just because, and I will always, ALWAYS be here! Full of love, advice, a listening heart, an open mind, an honest opinion, an abundance of encouragement and support, and arms stretched wide open as a place to forever call home!!!
(your grandmother would write me handwritten letters ever so often all the way up through college. Whenever she wrote me a letter or sometimes when we were getting off the phone, or I was leaving home to go back to Raleigh she’d tell me how much she loved me and call me “her daughter, her treasure“. Whenever she said it, it meant SO much, and it still does whenever I think about it. So it is my hope that as you grow, and I write you letter after letter, that it’ll come to mean just as much to you as it means to me).
Today is your very first birthday!
Year one with you, my love, has been the best year of our lives.
Full of learning and growth for all of us. A lot of laughing, a lot of hugging, a ton of kissing and an abundance of love.
Love! Oh, how you’ve redefined that word for me. It’s different than any kind of love I’ve ever experienced and I can’t even begin to explain how my love for you and your love for me has forever changed me.
I thought I had life figured out before you. Turns out, I did’t have a clue. In just one year, you’ve taught me so much. How to be patient and understanding. How to be giving and make sacrifices, willingly and fully, with no expectations. How to be happy, joyful and excited about all things, big or small. How to be content with life, living and loving each moment! I can’t even express how big of an example you’ve already been and how much you’ve taught me about how to live a full life!
You’re doing so much now and growing so fast. At the eleven month mark you started taking little steps here and there with your arms raised in the air for balance. It’s been a joy to see you getting use to walking over the past few weeks and getting into everything, as I knew you would.
You’ve taken a liking to spaghetti so we’ll be eating it often :), luckily it’s your dad’s favorite too! Watching you chew and bite into things with your six little teeth makes me giggle a little. You’re picky with your food, just like me, and like to feel things with your hands before they go into your mouth. You’re very independent already, deciding that you’ll only eat if you can feed yourself (still with your hands, of course)!
Hearing you talk (babble) tickles me to pieces and your favorite sound right now is ba ba ba. You string together a lot of other sounds as well as if you’re really having a conversation so I pretend to understand which makes you go on and on and on!!!
You’ve never really liked bottles or pacifiers (except to gnaw on), so you’re still sucking on your thumb (for comfort) and pulling on your hair (when frustrated) and we’re still letting that slide, for now! At this point in our lives our day starts at 7am and you’re napping for two hours in the morning and again in the afternoon. You LOVE bath time (except the hair washing part) and it’s a struggle to get you out every single time. You usually fall asleep during the middle of a story by 8pm if I get the routine just right, waking some time between 12am and 2am to nurse. So, obviously we’re still going strong with breastfeeding (and will probably continue for the next few months). Breastfeeding has truly bonded us like nothing else ever could and I pray that we’ll forever have this inseparable bond as you get older!
You love to play, with me and by yourself! When we play patty cake you start laughing as soon as I start the song because you’ve learned that it ends with a tickle. And, as soon as we get to “put it in the oven” you stop clapping and lay face down full of giggles for the tickle-fest to come and it warms my heart each and every time. You’re stacking blocks and rings, and putting your train blocks down the chute to the caboose. You’ve recently learned how to get off the couch and climb steps, much to my dismay! When you hear music you clap and sway and “sing” and I pray that you’ll always have a love for it! When we read each day you help to turn the pages and make sounds like you’re reading aloud as well :)! And recently I’ve caught you “reading” by yourself, opening books and babbling as you slide your finger across each sentence…you clever little girl!!!
Your personality has started to shine through and I’m loving every moment. You’re curious and determined and eager to try new things. You’re also a bit silly too, and you make me laugh at the littlest things! I love when you blow bubbles SO hard you surprise yourself or make crazy sounds then giggle or whisper to no one in particular when your off playing alone!!!
One year in and I’m still checking on you before I turn in for the night, touching your belly to feel that you’re breathing. I still kiss you repeatedly when you’re sleeping in my arms and I pray over you constantly, especially in those moments.
I couldn’t imagine a world without you and I can’t thank God enough for trusting me with His precious gift to raise, to train, to love!
Even now, as I write this to you in advance, with you laying in my arms (at 1:24am, February 6, 2013), I am overwhelmed with tears of joy because I have you in my life. You’ll never fully know the depths of my love for you as it is too deep to be expressed through words. But I pray that I’m able to always show you how much you’re loved each and every day of my life.I love you just because, and I will always, ALWAYS be here! Full of love, advice, a listening heart, an open mind, an honest opinion, an abundance of encouragement and support, and arms stretched wide open as a place to forever call home!!!
I love you, I love you, I LOVE you, my daughter, my treasure!!!
Happy 1st Birthday!!!!!
Happy 1st Birthday!!!!!
Love,
Mommy
Happy FIRST Birthday, Madison. I pray that you are continuously blessed all the days of your life.
Sophia
twentyfiveseasons.com
Oh, thanks so much for your birthday wishes and blessings, Sophia!!!
Oh my goodness!!! I can't believe she is 1 already!! Happy Birthday, Maddie!!
You and me both, Ashley! Thanks so much for the bday wishes for Maddie!!!
You have the most beautiful little girl and she's very lucky to have such a wonderful mama. I loved your words, so sweet and sincere. I love writing letters to my little one too and hope they feel our love one day when they are older!
Happy birthday sweet Madison!
Awww, you're far to kind dear!!! I so hope she feels the love as she gets older too! Thanks for the bday wishes for my sweet little girl and thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment!
Happy birthday Madison! I can't get over how adorable your daughter is. The time flies!
Reese
Thanks, Reese! That's so sweet!!! It is crazy how time flies with the little ones!!!
Beautiful!
Thanks, lady!!!
i know i am super late, but happy 1st (and many more to go) birthday to Madison!
-Rekita
You're not as late as my replies to the comments on this post, lol! Thanks for the birthday wishes for my little lady!!!