To Sarah Beth on her First Birthday

From this...

To this!

How can I put into words what joy you have brought into our lives, little one?  Since the moment you arrived you have given us indescribable happiness.  I can’t wait to wake up every morning to start another day with you.  So much has changed since last year!

You were a week late, little girl, and you didn’t want to come into this world on your own.  I guess you were just too comfy in Mommy’s belly.  So we had to go in and get you, but once you arrived, you certainly seemed happy to meet us.   Your Daddy cried when he first saw you.  You had his heart from the very beginning.  He was so excited and nervous the first few days of your life.  You were tiny and precious and we couldn’t believe you were really ours to keep and protect.  Once we got to know you a little, we weren’t so petrified of you and started to have fun with our little bundle of joy, watching your gentle movements and listening to your sweet baby gurgles and grunts.  Now, we are watching you march around the coffee table and listening to your cackling laughter and boisterous “DA DA DAs.”    It is amazing how much you have grown in twelve short months!  Mommy couldn’t bear to miss a moment of it, so now you have a full-time Mommy to adore you 24 hours a day.  And I couldn’t be happier. 

You are so funny!  You love making silly noises and doing things that will make us laugh.  Most recently, you have started head-butting your Daddy and you think that is the most hysterical thing ever. 

You greet every morning with a big smile.  You are delighted with everything you see and touch.  You look at new objects and experiences with wonder.  You like to test out the world with one little finger, and then jump in wholeheartedly with fists, feet and soul.  Just this week, you got in a swimming pool for the first time and thought it was pretty cool.  You floated around in your deluxe baby boat with canopy, kicked up your feet, rested your arms on the sides and nearly feel asleep as we paddled you around, you were so relaxed. 

You have a slight obsession with cheese.  All kinds, you do not discriminate.  You also love eggs, yogurt, and bread (with cheese on it, naturally.)  Beef and chicken also appear on the menu.  You like avocado, carrots and potatoes too.  Oh, and gelato.  We just served up some watermelon gelato this week and boy did you approve of that!  When you have enough, you push away the spoon and if we persist, you cross your arms over your chest and look at us as if to say “I am done, give it up!” 

You love people watching.  You like nothing better than to sit in a restaurant or cruise around the grocery store and check out your adoring public.  Of course most everyone makes a fuss over our big blue-eyed baby, and those who don’t clearly have something wrong with them.  You are very interested in everything going on in the world and don’t miss a beat. 

You are such a delight to be around, Sarah Beth!  We have rarely left you over the past 365 days because we just love being with you!  We never thought a baby could be so much fun and completely fill our hearts.  You make us want to be better people.   You make us want to make the world a better place for you to grow up in.  We will do our best to show you all that is good with the world and protect you from the dangers and ugliness that life can bring.  You amaze us every day, proof that God is real and He loves us so much to give us such a beautiful blessing.  We will work every day to be worthy of this gift.

We love you, sweet Sarah Beth.  Happy First Birthday!

Love,

Mommy and Daddy