Dear Grace

Dear Grace,In just a few days, you will be one year old!! I can hardly believe it. I still look at you everyday and relish in the thought of your existence. For so long I thought I couldn't have a baby. When I found out you were in my tummy, it took a long time and 4 tests for me to believe you were actually in there. Still, even though you were in my tummy for 9 months and you've been alive and well in the real world for almost a year, I cannot believe you are here. This has been the most joyful time in my entire life. To go from not even thinking you could be, to having you growing inside of me for so long - to having you with me and in my life is the best thing that could have ever happened to me. Everyday when I'm at work, I look at the clock and count down the hours until I can go get you from day care. I wonder what great thing you've done today that will have someone telling me about it when I pick you up. You love to be outside. You like to eat dirt (or try to), pick up sticks, be strolled around in your stroller, yell really loud so you can hear your echo in the distance and explore everything. You want to know exactly what is going on at all times. You take note of the squirrels climbing up the trees, the kitty cats and dogs in their yards and the cars that drive by - as we go for our afternoon walks. For Mother's Day, you gave me a poem with your handprint. I still can't read the poem or even think about it without crying. You are such a big, sweet girl. As soon as I gave birth to you, the Dr. said, "Look at her trying to hold her head up." From that point forward you have been growing unbelievably fast. It took a while to get you to sleep thru the night, but after that, you just started doing everything at once. You got your 1st tooth in my birthday, then you started crawling. As soon as you crawled, you started pulling up...then it was on to walking. You've passed up most of the other kids your age at school, leaving them behind in Miss Jane's room so you can go outside and play with the big kids and you're still not even 1 (yet). Sometimes I wonder if I've made the right decisions in my life. Do I have the right job? Did I make a wrong choice by not following through with other things? But there is 1 thing that I know I will never wonder about and that is you. You are the best thing that ever happened to me. You have put so much into perspective for me. I no longer worry about all the little things that used to drag me down day to day. And if I start worrying, all I have to do is think of you....and a big smile comes on my face. I love you more than you will ever know.Happy 1st Birthday, GraceLove - Mommy