Day 7: Happy Birthday Baby Girl
Dear Sara -
I suppose every parent says it, but I can't believe you are already one year old! It did go a bit faster for us than most though. A year ago today, we didn't know you existed. But here you were, a bit on the small side.
A year ago today, we were just still hoping that we'd be able to have a wonderful child like you join our family, but we didn't actually get to hear about you until July 4th! And now, you have just been with us for 2 1/2 months. Now that I know you I want all those months we missed back (though of course we are so grateful to Angelica for taking care of you so wonderfully).
Well Sara the last 2 1/2 months have been a joy, as well as a bit exhausting! You won't remember this, but your dad has been gone for almost a week, and isn't home for another 6 days still. I know you miss him too though, because when I showed you his picture today you got a big smile on your face, and pointed at daddy and said "dada" and then you hugged the picture.
In a way it also seems like longer than 2 1/2 months. 2 1/2 months ago you were still a mystery to us, a serious-looking, intimidating mystery, with "HEALTH: GOOD" and a rumor of something wrong with your head. We didn't know what to expect. I guess we expected you to be something like you were at 7 weeks...sort of a formless blob still, maybe a little behind, maybe a little withdrawn. And the first day with us, you weren't too sure what to think. You were missing the only family you'd known pretty badly.
We had no idea that after that first day of sadness, we'd get to see the confident, joyful, outgoing, curious, loving, busy little girl you are, a girl who almost always has a smile on her face. And there is most definitely nothing wrong with your head. I can't help but think of your biological mom, Martha, and how proud she would be if she could see you now. I hope one day we'll get to make sure she knows that she has absolutely nothing to be ashamed of, bringing such a wonderful child into the world, and allowing us the gift of being your family.
And all the things you've learned in just 2 1/2 months. First of all, you learned to trust us and love us. Even though we make you sleep all alone in your crib which you also had to learn! In fact you just spent 2 minutes screaming in your crib before falling asleep for a nap, where you used to scream for an hour. You learned to crawl, and get up & down to cruise around on the furniture, and any day now you are going to walk on your own. You learned grandma's "so big" trick, and how to wave, and what "dance" means and that it might just be worthwhile to eat off a spoon after all, because ice cream tastes REALLY GOOD. And it's been a pretty big year for you. You had to say goodbye to two moms already. You've lived in two countries, taken your first international trip to our cold cold land, become a U.S. citizen, met a whole lot of new family members and friends. Seen snow for the first time, learned what a car seat is, got introduced to two different languages, met a dog and cat both named Frankie! And too many other things to list.
We are so proud to be your parents, Sara, and can't wait to see what the next year brings. Happy birthday baby girl.
love, Mom
I suppose every parent says it, but I can't believe you are already one year old! It did go a bit faster for us than most though. A year ago today, we didn't know you existed. But here you were, a bit on the small side.
A year ago today, we were just still hoping that we'd be able to have a wonderful child like you join our family, but we didn't actually get to hear about you until July 4th! And now, you have just been with us for 2 1/2 months. Now that I know you I want all those months we missed back (though of course we are so grateful to Angelica for taking care of you so wonderfully).
Well Sara the last 2 1/2 months have been a joy, as well as a bit exhausting! You won't remember this, but your dad has been gone for almost a week, and isn't home for another 6 days still. I know you miss him too though, because when I showed you his picture today you got a big smile on your face, and pointed at daddy and said "dada" and then you hugged the picture.
In a way it also seems like longer than 2 1/2 months. 2 1/2 months ago you were still a mystery to us, a serious-looking, intimidating mystery, with "HEALTH: GOOD" and a rumor of something wrong with your head. We didn't know what to expect. I guess we expected you to be something like you were at 7 weeks...sort of a formless blob still, maybe a little behind, maybe a little withdrawn. And the first day with us, you weren't too sure what to think. You were missing the only family you'd known pretty badly.
We had no idea that after that first day of sadness, we'd get to see the confident, joyful, outgoing, curious, loving, busy little girl you are, a girl who almost always has a smile on her face. And there is most definitely nothing wrong with your head. I can't help but think of your biological mom, Martha, and how proud she would be if she could see you now. I hope one day we'll get to make sure she knows that she has absolutely nothing to be ashamed of, bringing such a wonderful child into the world, and allowing us the gift of being your family.
And all the things you've learned in just 2 1/2 months. First of all, you learned to trust us and love us. Even though we make you sleep all alone in your crib which you also had to learn! In fact you just spent 2 minutes screaming in your crib before falling asleep for a nap, where you used to scream for an hour. You learned to crawl, and get up & down to cruise around on the furniture, and any day now you are going to walk on your own. You learned grandma's "so big" trick, and how to wave, and what "dance" means and that it might just be worthwhile to eat off a spoon after all, because ice cream tastes REALLY GOOD. And it's been a pretty big year for you. You had to say goodbye to two moms already. You've lived in two countries, taken your first international trip to our cold cold land, become a U.S. citizen, met a whole lot of new family members and friends. Seen snow for the first time, learned what a car seat is, got introduced to two different languages, met a dog and cat both named Frankie! And too many other things to list.
We are so proud to be your parents, Sara, and can't wait to see what the next year brings. Happy birthday baby girl.
love, Mom
posted by Biz at 6:37 PM
1 Comments:
As I wipe the happy tears away let me wish you Sara, our niece, a very happy 1st birthday! We can't wait to meet you in a couple months when we come out to visit!
This is Aunt Jill of course, with the tears, not your Uncle Jeff :)
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