Two weeks from Monday my sweet little Sophia will be one year old. Tonight, I went through the plans for her party, made a list of the "To Do's" and started to get things organized. And then I sat down and thought about it and decided to write my darling daughter a letter for her birthday.
My sweet Sophia,
Let me start out by saying that you are the best thing that has ever happened to me and daddy. This is something I tell you every single night as I feed you and sing you "You Are My Sunshine" and before I lay you down to sleep.
I remember the day you were born. I think about that day often. I think about how lucky we are that you were so strong and fought for your life. I think about how lucky we are that great doctors took really good care of both of us so that we could be here to torture daddy as much as we love to do. I remember the day I had to leave the hospital and go home without you. You were safe and in great hands with the NICU nurses, but mommy's heart broke a million times that night. Every night you were in the hospital, mommy called the nurses to check and see how you were doing.
When we finally got to bring you home, mommy and daddy would fight over who got to hold you. You were quite a pistol in the beginning. You had a lot to say, so much to say that you never wanted to sleep. In the late nights and early mornings, we got to know each other pretty well. We used to thank God that you were so cute, it made all the tears easier to take.
After all the crying you became a pretty happy and smiley baby. I used to wonder if you smiled so much because every time you looked at mommy or daddy we were smiling at you. You've always been a strong, strong willed, funny, adorable, bald little baby girl. I love getting you see you learn new things and getting to be the one to teach you those things. I love when you look at a toy and suddenly figure out how it works. I love when you are so proud and look at me with an ear to ear smile showing me what you just accomplished.
I never knew what was missing in my life until I had you. The joy you bring to my life is something I could have never imagined. I never knew I could love something so much that my heart physically hurts when I look at you. I never knew I could be so anxious and paranoid and worried about a 19lb 11oz little human being.
I can't wait for every single day. I love seeing you when you wake up in the morning. I love your hugs and your kisses. Thank you for changing my life forever. Thank you for letting me be your mommy.
