Happy Birthday Little Miss!!

It was a year ago that my daughter was born. A year ago they cut her from my belly and I saw her for the first time. She was red and swollen and beautiful. She had the cutest button nose I'd ever seen and she looked like me.
After I was wheeled back to my hospital room on the night of her birth, I spent the next several hours staring at her. Memorizing every detail of her face and body. I had been imaging her since the moment I found out I was pregnant. I worried that she wouldn't be cute, but raising 2 kids would always tell me that if she wasn't, I'd never know because of the love I'd feel for her. Once she arrived and I understood just what that meant, I felt guilty for ever caring about what she looked like because that is not where my love for her originates. It is something so much deeper and thankfully more profound than that. It's the most terrifying and the most beautiful feeling I've ever experienced.
I'm sad that this year has gone by so quickly, but I am so excited at what this next year will bring. This first year has been full of so much change. She's gone from an infant completely dependent on me to a toddler wanting her independence from me. She walks in front of me like I'm chasing her, even when I'm only trying to keep up. She swings her arm across her high chair tray when she's done eating, sending everything to the floor and her new best dog friends...She's so excited about everything, which in turns thrills me to no end. This next year will only be better and more exciting. I can't wait!
Happy Birthday Little Miss!! I love being your mom and love that you're my daughter even more!