ONE YEAR OLD!!! How are you one year old? Let's review some stats on Charlotte:
Things you love:
- Me, Nelson
- Mama
- Emptying cabinets and drawers
- Speed! running, boating, stroller rides, etc.
- Meeting new people (but they can't be too big...)
- Putting everything in your mouth
- Grandparents
- Music
- Pool (I think...you've been twice and it was good)
- Eating dirt, mulch, grass
- Climbing stairs
Things you don't like:
- Washing your hands
- Washing your hair
- Being ignored
- Having things taken away, especially food.
- Diaper changes
- Teething
My sweet sister, today is the day when you turn one. What else screams "yay I'm one!" other than cutting 2 teeth. Ugh...bad timing, but you handled it like a champ. You kicked off your day with giving mom the best gift of all... slept thru the night!!! This has happened very rarely. Then you had some banana pancakes. Win win!
You got to go to the pool and played with your friends Lucy and Bryn. Lucy gave you this cool shopping cart! First gift of the day because mom's haven't arrived yet. Good planning mom.
You then got to take an adventure to Costco to prepare for your birthday party.
And when you got home you had your very first package waiting for you from Aunt Bridgett. A water table!! What a fun way to spend your birthday day!!
We ended the day with a nice game of chase me.
One whole year has passed since you became my sister. I remember that day just like it was yesterday because I am still scarred. I used to be the only child in the family. Days were built around me. Walks were longer. They watched more movies. Sat down more. And we lived in my old house. Now, well now, things are different. The days are built around US, not just me. We walk, but if you fuss we head home. Dad gets his movies watched. Mom has seen 2 since you've been born. Sitting?? Who sits?
Wouldn't it be so sad if I ended my note here?! Let me tell you about why I love how my life changed one year ago....
- Because of you I get fed more. You now learned how to drop me some eggs and I'm always available to clean you up when you're done.
- Because of you I'm learning how to deal with loud noises, or at least how to clear a room faster when you make them.
- Because of you I get to lick you from head to toe during bath time, and I get less baths!
- Because of you I go to bed sooner and sleep sounder because I'm so tired I can hardly walk straight.
- Because of you I get to see more of our family members because they love to see us.
- Because of you I've learned the UPS drop-off times due to mom's ability to shop Amazon Prime. I hate UPS.
- Because of you I get to have long car rides. You often fall asleep in the car. We learned not to wake a sleeping baby so we will just drive...for an hour.
- Because of you I learned how to share and love more than I ever knew I could.
I'm so blessed to be your brother and protector. Happy birthday sister.
Love,
Nelson
PS- Mom and dad wanted to write to you for your big day, so I saved them space.
My sweet baby Charlotte,
A year ago today my life forever changed. At 1:03 pm on June 11, 2014 you entered this world, layed in my arms, and looked me in the eyes and we met for the first time. Although you looked a little blue, gooey, and immediately pooped on me, it was love at first sight.
This year with you has taught me so much. I've learned I can function on little to no sleep. For the first 2 days of your life I actually did not sleep. I waited to have you and once you were here I just stared at you sleeping (your dad slept great).
I learned I never knew how much I could worry about one person. Your first night here you choked for a couple of seconds, I never knew how powerful the panic and worry of a parent actually could be.
I learned that the little things in life are the absolute best. Your first smile was earth shattering. Your first giggle made me smile for days. The first time you crawled I felt like I conquered the world. Your first sounds and words are music to my ears. And your first poop after 10 days was the best smell ever.
I learned that I have to live in the moment and not get caught up in rushing you. Instead of looking forward to you walking, I love to watch your cute tush zoom all over the house crawling. While I do love the thought of you telling me what you want with words, I love seeing how to you study what I'm trying to teach you...and when you may not get it, you're okay with just being held. Or instead of being exhausted because all you want is to be held, I'm trying to soak it in because all too soon you'll want your space.
I learned that plans...well they are a joke, and I've learned to be okay with that.
I learned to treasure time. Time with you, time with Nelson, time with dad, and time with just me. All of it is equally important.
I learned that leaving the house is a chore. If I find the bag, the snacks, the toys, the baby, the blanket, the carseat, the water, the backup toy, and the keys then I win at life.
I learned that you bring such happiness to so many people. Every morning when I walk in your room and you are standing in your crib with that huge smile I know that if nothing else goes right in my day that at least I had that moment. Your grandparents light up the second they see you. No matter how stressed or worn out they may be, hearing your voice or seeing your smile make them the happiest people in the world. They just love to stare at you! And no matter how badly I may want to flick your father in the head at times, when we are around you, you make it all okay.
I learned that parenting is by far the hardest job on the planet. People tell you this going into parenting and you may think differently. Believe me, it's hard. The best quote someone told me is "the days are long, the years are short". There are days this last year that I actually think time stood still where I waited for 5:30 to hit so we would see daddy walk through the door. Days like when you were getting a tooth or were constipated or couldn't handle being put down. Days like that, are just plain hard. But I look back on those days and they seemed to go by in the blink of an eye because here you are, ONE year old. So although this is the hardest job I'll ever do, it is by far the best one in the world.
Most of all, I learned love this year. I love your dad, I love your grandparents, and I certainly love your brother. Love for you, is different. It's a hard-to-breathe, can't-sleep-even-if-you-are, fill-my-chest kind of feeling. It doesn't fade, but only gets stronger. It is perfection.
You have taught me so much in just one year together.
Happy birthday my sweet, happy, smiley, determined, fiesty, and beautiful daughter. Watching you grow and learn are the best days of my life. I hope you dream big, be yourself at all times (even if it's not cool), love animals, stand up for what you believe, work hard, save money, and are kind to others.
You are the best gift I could've ever dreamt about.
Love,
Mommy
Letter to Charlotte – 1st
Birthday
Dear Charlotte,
A year ago you joined our family and I think back to the
second night you were in the hospital.
Your mom really needed to get some sleep after bringing you into the
world, so you were taken to the hospital nursery. I couldn’t bear the thought of you being alone
so I went to the nursery with you and rocked/watched you all night long. It is safe to say you have had my heart since
the moment you were born.
If I am being honest with myself though, those first couple
of months were definitely the hardest and not for the reasons you might
think. For the most part all you did was
sleep, nurse, and poop. This was hard
for me because I didn’t get a chance to connect with you a bunch like mom
did. I loved you because you were my
daughter and your mom and I had made you.
But it was definitely harder to connect with you. But then the most wonderful thing
happened. You started becoming you a
little more every day. You started
smiling, then laughing, and your personality really started to come
through. When that happened I discovered
a new level of love I had never felt before.
I literally fall in love with you more every day.
To say the last year has been the happiest, stressful,
tiring, wonderful, delighting, scary, and educating year of my life would be an
understatement. You have brought so much
to your mom and I’s life since joining us.
You have learned so much over the last year, but at the same time you
have taught me more than you will ever know.
·
You learned to laugh and I learned that was my
new favorite sound in life
·
You learned to scream and I learned that you
were a girl who knew what she wanted
·
I learned that just because it took you 5 mins
to crawl 2 feet the day before. That
does not mean it will be the same the next day.
Which leads me to my next lesson.
·
I learned that you are supper tough and can
survive crawling off the bed…..(your mom was home and that was not a good day
for me L)
·
You learned to crawl up and down the stairs very
quickly and I learned that when you make up your mind to do something there is
nothing that can stop you
·
You learned to smile and I learned a new level
of love that I did not know was possible
·
I learned just how unimportant I am now to your
grandparents J They like/love you a lot more than me J….It’s all good, I
don’t blame them
·
You learned to pull yourself up to stand and I
learned not to hold my breath in anticipation of your fall – I learned to
breathe again
·
You learned that through determination you can
do what your trying to accomplish, I learned that this determination/stubbornness
could become troublesome for me in the future
·
You learned that if you cry or put your hands up
for someone to pick you up, your mom and I will always come running. I learned that I am okay with that and will
have your back till the day I die.
I didn’t think it was possible, but I love you more every
day I get to spend with you. You are my
beautiful sweet baby girl and could not imagine my life without you. I look forward to watching you grow and
become the person you are going to become.
Love,
Dad
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