Lia: 1 year

My girl,

Today, you turned one. As we approached this huge milestone of your life, I have been in denial the past few weeks, willing time to slow down a little bit so that I can enjoy you as a baby. Today you have graduated to toddler. I have spent many nights twirling in my head the sweet memories of the days leading up to your arrival. Oh the sweet anticipation of my first born will forever be sketched in my memories. While many more memories have since been built on top of them, those are some of the sweetest memories that I still carry today. I may be speaking out of element, but I imagine that the anticipation of the arrival of a first born child is a once in a lifetime experience. You are and will forever be our first born.

There are so few words to describe the incredible joy of being your mother the last year, and the luxury of having such an enormous amount of love all wrapped up in a little child and having that love readily available within my arms’ reach.

Within your first year of life, I have intuitively wrapped you in a blanket of security and love, and have given you roots within our home and in your greater environment. As a consequence, you blossomed as you grow, in front of my very eyes, seeking your confidence from your parents’ love and protection. You occasionally challenged your own fears and I have the rare luxury of witnessing the power of your success in conquering them. It is inspiring.

But while you grow, a budding fear manifested itself within me as a consequence of giving so much of my love to one single person. I am coming to the realization that as I am giving you roots, I will also have to give you wings one day and that day is fast approaching as evident by how fast this first year had flown by. It is becoming much clearer to me that the root is by far the easier part.

I have no idea what the second year will hold for you, or the years after that. All I know is that while I have the luxury of being your mother, I will cherish the days I have with you, make sure you know how much you are loved, not only by me but also by the village surrounding you. When you find your wings, know that there is always a place for you in our home, our hearts and our arms, where you can be rooted.

You are so loved.

Mama