Dear Parker, Happy Birthday!

Dear Parker,

You are celebrating your first birthday tomorrow, baby girl.  Or rather we are celebrating for you.  You likely won't enjoy the margaritas we will be having or the Heirloom LA tacos, but we will enjoy them for you.  Also, we are getting your own mini cake.  Please go to town on it and make a huge mess.   This letter, though, is less about your party tomorrow and more about me telling you what a profoundly incredible year this has been because of your precious, little life, baby girl.

You may have come into this world looking just like your dad, but you did it in a way that was very much like your mom-- stubborn and head strong.  It took you 37.5 hours in total and I would do it all over again to hold all nine plus pounds of you in my arms for the first time again.  I vividly remember the look you gave me... I still see you do it sometimes when you're drifting off for a nap.

You probably don't know this, but you have brought immeasurable joy and happiness into our lives these last 365 days.  Your curiosity for the world has made me slow down and gain patience I never knew I had.  We have so many new friends now thanks to you.  You have never met a stranger that you didn't want to flash a big toothy grin to as we look on with delight.  Please don't ever change that about yourself.

You love books!  This one is called Extra Yarn and it's your favorite!  (Your Auntie Lindsay Indermill gave it to you.)  You sit extra still and patient while daddy reads to you and since we started putting them in your crib, you've been known to wake up from a nap and do a little light reading.  You're starting to learn to say real words and it's fascinating to watch you learn and grow.

You are my happy place, sweet girl, and I wish you the happiest of birthdays.  Thanks for choosing me to be your mom, my most special girl.  Here are to many years full of many more adventures to come!

Photography by Belathée