Dear Rosie,
Today is your first birthday! How can I put into words how much I love you? My love for you is unlike anything I have ever felt before. It is limitless, unconditional, and strong. There is literally nothing I wouldn’t do for you. Nothing could have ever prepared me for this kind of love. I love your Dad so so much (I hope you know that!), but this kind of love is different.
You have changed my life in a million ways. What was life even like without you in it? One year ago we had just met but I feel like I’ve known you my whole life. We have an unbreakable bond. From the minute you were born, I felt a connection to you. A connection so strong it turned my whole world upside down. I knew my life would never be the same.
I was pushed to my limits (more than once)! There were days that you would not stop crying and days that you refused to sleep. I won’t lie to you, it pushed me to tears. I felt like I was screwing up as a mom, and I started to doubt myself. But you would look at me like I was the greatest thing in the entire world and all of those worries went away. I knew I was put on this earth to be your mom and I know that there is no better mom for you than me.
We started to hit our stride when you were 5 or 6 months old. You started sleeping through the night (thank you!) and it made a world of difference. You were always smiling, always watching, and just so happy. Some of my favorite memories are you and I just laying on the living room floor watching the snow fall. We had just moved into our new house. We didn’t have any furniture or even a second car! It was just you and me all day and I loved every second. I cannot begin to quantify the number of hours I held you while you slept. I didn’t make you nap in your crib until you were probably 7 months old!
Now you are a big girl! Every day you learn something new. You are so observant! You are always studying me and copying me. I love that I get to watch you experience the world for the first time. You’re a little person now and it’s fun to get to know your personality. You are curious, smart, and fiercely independent. I’ve never seen a baby play so well by themselves. You are strong and persistent, and you can do anything you set your mind to! Your determination is difficult for me sometimes (you like to test your mama!) but I hope you never lose that strength.
You are so sweet and so affectionate. I can’t get enough of your wet kisses and your huge smiles. Lately when we go up for a nap, we sit in the chair alternating between hugging each other and giving each other kisses. You’ll be laying sweetly on my chest and I know you want a kiss when you tilt your head back and open your mouth wide. It’s the greatest feeling in the world.
Now you are one. This day always felt like a million years in the future, but yet here we are. I am sad to be losing my baby but so excited to watch you grow. No matter how big you get, I will always be your mom and I will always love you more than anything in the whole world. I love you my sweet girl.
Love, Mama
