In Closing, on this Day of Love....

Dear Payton,

This will be my final entry to this book. Today is Valentine's Day, February 14th, 2013. I wanted to make your book all about your first year, so it's time to close this chapter and begin a new one. 

Today is a very special day for our family. Your daddy and I were married on Valentine's Day in the year of 2009. As of today, we have been married for 4 years. 

Four years ago today....we were an excited couple on our wedding day, both wondering about our future and what it might hold. We were in love, now married, and had just bought our first home. We were both young and free, willing to take on life! We knew we wanted children and we both had the same vision for our future: A big family to call our own. We both dreamed of the days when we would celebrate all that life has to offer with our children. It was about a year after we were married that we knew we wanted to start that family. Little did we know at the time that it would take us a lot longer than what we thought to begin our first pregnancy. Days turned into months, and months turned into years...and we wept as we longed for a tiny miracle to call our own. It was on May 7th, 2011 that we found out we were going to be parents. 

While mommy was pregnant, we would talk to you, sing to you, dream about you, and share with each other and the world how much we already loved you. 

Now you are here, and you are just over a year old...but I feel like I have loved you forever. I have dreamed about being your mommy for as long as I can remember. There is nothing in this entire universe that could ever compare to the joy and happiness that you have brought to your Daddy and I's life. You have made our life and our relationship so much more beautiful. As you continue to grow, to develop as a person, and take in this world around you, please remember one thing. You are loved today, you will be loved tomorrow, and everyday for the rest of your life. There is nothing that could ever come between or take away our love for you. You are loved in a way that is priceless, a way that is never ending. You are loved all because you are YOU. We wouldn't want you any other way. The person you were born to be and will become is perfect. You were created in God's love, and sent from Heaven for us to raise. We thank God every single day for choosing us as your family on Earth. You are the greatest blessing, and you have made me the happiest girl on the face of this Earth, just by being you. 

You are developing, learning, and growing each and every day. It seems as if everyday, you learn something new. As your parents, we are so excited to journey through your life with you. We cannot wait to see what your life has in store. Watching you grow and develop into a beautiful girl and strong woman is the reason why I was put on this Earth. My life has purpose because of you. Thank you for blessing your daddy and I with this gift. 

On Valentine's Day and everyday....I love you. We love you. You will forever be my sweet, sweet baby girl. 

Love,

Mommy and Daddy

Is my baby a toddler?

Tonight, as I was giving you a bath, I was out of no where struck with the realization that you are no longer a "baby." As I watched your face, and your little closed mouth smile...and noticed how your hair was hitting your shoulders when I got it wet, I saw a "big" girl. I stopped for a second and just looked at you. You looked back at me and smiled, without showing your teeth (which by the way is the sweetest smile EVER) as if you were trying to ease my heart that was all of a sudden breaking! You are just over a year old, and you have still looked like my baby.. Until this moment......in this moment....you looked like a little girl. To fight the tears, I started to sing my normal, silly, made up bath song that I always sing to you. 

Now, when you get out of the tub, you yell and fuss at me because you want to get up, or because you want your milk, or whatever  You have quite the personality now, and you know what you want! Before, my little "baby" would just lay there and listen to me sing. Now, you are so much more vocal and you're expressing your opinions well already! But you know what...you still stop and listen when you hear me sing. I wonder how much longer until that fades, too.

 I love you sweet Baby Butterbutt, and no matter how old you grow...

You will always be my "Baby" 

Love, 

Mommy

Dance!

Although you have been dancing for quite some time, it's evident that you now know what the word "dance" means. No matter what tone, or what voice I say that word in, you immediately start to shake your booty! Sometimes you dance with a little butt shake, sometimes it's a back pop in and out, and sometimes you move your head from side to side. No matter what though, you LOVE to dance! When music is on in the car, your moving. When mommy sings to you, your moving. When you hear songs or music on t.v., your moving. It is so funny to watch you and your spunky little personality develop!

Love,

Mommy

On The Move! Ouch!

You are now as mobile as mobile gets, without walking. It took you so long to finally start crawling, but now, there is no stopping you! You officially started pulling yourself up on to your toys, the furniture, etc. You struggled for so long..figured it out one day..and the rest is history! You are now crawling everywhere and getting into everything. Now that you are moving and getting into/on top of things, bruises are popping up all over the place! We hate to see you fall and get hurt, but know that this comes with the nature of being a mobile little girl! You are constantly bonking your head, busting your mouth, and falling face first into things. It's so sad! We just recently noticed that your right front tooth is chipped. When we took you to the doctor for your one year visit  she said you had to have chipped your tooth by falling. No surprise! You are our little bruised cruiser! :) One of the sweetest memories that I'm holding on to from you moving is when I say, "I'm gonna get you!" You immediately start cracking up laughing and you try to crawl away as fast as possible....but you go no where! You sort of spin in place and can't get yourself going. When this happens, you stop and bury your face in the floor, laughing! It's so fun knowing that you are understanding things we are saying to you and it's so sweet to see how you respond. You literally grow and learn each and every day. Each day brings some new "trick" or something fun to talk about. Daddy and I are constantly calling each other, texting each other, etc. to talk about something that you have done to make us laugh. We are obsessed with you, my love! I absolutely love coming home from work everyday, knowing that I am in for the best time, of love and laughter, once I am with you.

I love you to the moon and back,

Mommy