"On the night you were born...

you brought wonder and magic to the world....and the night wind whispered, 'Life will never be the same.' "

Dear Blair,

A year ago I was feeling so much pain and yet so much excitement.  So many people were around and excited about your arrival, waiting to kiss and love you.  We had no idea how you would change our lives and how your smile would make our world new.  I think back on that night now with so much happiness and wonderful memories.  I know there was pain but there was so much love to welcome you!  Your dad was the most wonderful man at my side and soon he would have two girls to take care of and he has!

The moment I saw your face I said,” she’s so beautiful!”  I will never forget you being laid on my stomach and looking down to see what you looked like.  Everyone says it is amazing but it is the most indescribable feeling that I cannot put into words.  I still remember that moment so vividly.  Your daddy and I have never seen anything more amazing than you and you came out ready to pose for your photos!  Holding you and watching your daddy hold you tenderly were some of the best moments of my life.

Little did I know that what was ahead would be a new and joyful every day.  Although those first months at night were hard with you, I still remember wonderful memories of nursing you and staring at you.  To tell you the truth I still to this day look at you in awe every night.  Just last week it was time to put you down and you had fallen asleep in my arms.  Even in  anxiousness to get chores done I just stopped and held you and watched you for 5 more minutes knowing that it will be these moments I will miss as you continue to grow into a little independent girl.  Rocking you to sleep is still my favorite part of the day and your little precious face can still melt my heart and bring me to tears.

Watching you and your daddy has made me happier than ever.  Thank you for helping me love him even more every day.  We are lucky girls to have him in our lives.  He can still make you laugh the hardest and he is the best to play with, willing to be silly and crazy with you at anytime.  Chasing you two around and hearing your big belly laughs is one of our favorite things to do.  He is so good to you and I couldn’t ask for a better partner is raising you.

Your smiles and laughs are contagious.  No matter where we are people always stop to say hello to you (and you will stare them down until they do, my little flirt) and remark about how beautiful you are, what amazing eyes you have, and how cute your little smile is.  You get shy and snuggle up to mommy and then go back for more smiles.  You can turn a bad day around as soon as I walk into the door and you light up.  As I drive home each day I can’t wait to see you and your smile.  Can you promise me you will always greet me this way?  No? It's ok, I understand J

I have loved watching you with our family.  You are the star of the show and I cannot describe to you the joy that you bring to everyone in your life.  I have loved watching you with your Grammy and Papa because you love them so much and they couldn’t love you anymore.  I was lucky enough to have them as parents and not I feel overly blessed to have them share so much of their lives with you now.  Your Aunties just can’t get enough of you either and they are your biggest fans.  They still fight over who gets to feed you or hold you and when you are tired enough to stop being on the go you give everyone little snuggles of love to last them the week (nobody can go longer than that without seeing you!) When you go visit Great Grandma Gertie you give her the biggest smiles and you light up her life.  You are very special to her and she will let Daddy know if it has been too long without seeing you.  I hope you always know how special you are to us, I hope we never forget to tell you how smart you are, how beautiful you are, and how much you mean to each of our lives.

Perhaps my favorite thing (notice how everything is my favorite) is watching you learn.  I have never been more amazed and wondrous as I have watching you develop this year.  I can always look back on a week and remember the huge changes that you made and then the next week even more.  From finally making eye contact, smiling,  holding a rattle, laughing, sitting up and beginning to play, reading books, crawling and standing, throwing balls and understanding how to make toys work, talking, clapping, and even showing us your attitude  you have amazed us daily.  Not a day has gone by that I am not shocked and proud of how you have grown.  Not a day goes by that you do not make me smile and laugh, not a day goes by when I am not excited for your future and yet saddened that I want it to slow down.

You are a feisty little girl and I have a feeling we have our work cut out for us.  You know what you want and you are determined that you will have it all.   I hope we can keep up with you because you are ready to go! You are SO funny.  You have new faces all the time and you love to make people laugh.  Your spirit is incredible and your future is bright!

I have never worried so much, loved any harder, or dreamed as big as I have since you have joined our lives.  You have made us happier, more in love, and completed our lives in just one short little year. 

Thank you little Blair Bear, booger butt, funny bunny, peanut, monkey, silly goose, boo boo, love bug…

Mommy loves you!

"Because there had never been anyone like you... ever in the world"