My beautiful baby boy,
I really can't believe a year has gone by. You've grown so much in so many ways. It's 10:30 am and a year ago today I was just getting my pitocin drip to get contractions started so you'd make your appearance. It didn't take long. Only 10.5 hours later you arrived, healthy and full of vigor.
That first week in the hospital was so rough. You were perfectly healthy but they made you stay for a whole week, coming up with things here and there to prolong your stay. It was the most excrutiating pain I've ever felt having to leave you the second day. I was released and they had no extra room for me to stay so your dad and I had to go home. Not having you with me put me in the most painful place I've ever been. You'd been part of me for so long and now you were alone, without me and your daddy, in an incubator in some noisy nursery. I cried the whole way home and the whole way back to the hospital the next day.
Your dad fought really hard with the doctors and nurses to get you home as soon as possible. He was my hero. I was too tired and too infatuated with you to do it myself.
You were the most beautiful baby we'd ever seen.
You stole our hearts immediately. We couldn't stop looking at you. Tracing the lines of your tiny face. Touching your tiny fingers and toes. Feeling your soft baby fuzz hair. Watching you sleep was such a joy.
You took to nursing right away and had already regained your 6 pounds one ounce birth weight only five days after your birth.
When we brought you home we were in such peace. Finally the doctors weren't probing. Finally you were sleeping in our bed with us, snuggled up, with your sweet baby breath in our faces. 
Time passed quickly and you amazed us everyday by your strength, your mind, your spirit.
You've brought us more joy than you can possibly imagine. I'm so lucky to be able to spend everyday with you. Your daddy works and I stay home with you, playing all day.
You've become a wonderful sleeper, going to bed between 7:30 and 8 every night and getting up at 6 or 6:30, even though you do wake between 4:30 and 5:30 a few times. You nap twice a day still and that suits me just fine. I rest up so we can play, play, play.
You love to go for walks, to play with your wonderful friends, to go shopping and see all the people, to ride in the grocery cart.
You especially love bath time.
Oh my darling boy, on this your first birthday, I wish you smiles and laughter and happiness. I wish you wisdom to light your way. I wish you truth and peace. I wish you love.
Love,
Mommy





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