happy first birthday!

dear saraya,

i cannot believe you have been gracing us with your presence for an entire year already! you are the biggest source of joy in our lives and every day your daddy and i thank God for blessing us with such a healthy, smart and loving child.  this past year has truly flown by.  i remember quite clearly your birth day, the way you entered our lives with powerful lungs and eyes so full of awareness.  my heart was full to the point of overflowing with love, awe, and even a little fear.  i was afraid that i wouldn't know how to be a good mom to you but now, after spending this past year with you, i'm confident that i am doing a good job.  your pleasant personality and genuinely sweet disposition tell me so.

you have been our sweet princess from day one, relishing in the positive attention you receive everywhere you go.  always quick to smile and brighten anyone's day, you love waving at people and chatting about any and everything.   your favorite words are "yeah!" and "num, num" and boy do you love eating!  i've never met a less picky eater than you.  always up for trying new foods and interesting combinations, we constantly find ourselves trying to limit how much you actually eat instead of wishing you would eat.

you are so smart.  you recognize certain noises, words and phrases.  if asked, you will point out a nose, mouth, or eye.  you understand us when we ask if you are hungry or sleepy.  and you're a fantastic sleeper!  you nap like a champ and generally sleep 10-11 hours through the night.  you love bedtime rituals like a bath, a story, and a song and your favorite bedtime story is still goodnight moon.  we finally broke you of the sleep sack after nearly 11 months and it was actually less painful than i thought it would be!  let's hope getting rid of the pacifier goes as smoothly...

you're no longer dedicated to simply obliterating the towers of blocks we build (destructo-babe), instead showing great patience and coordination by stacking (buildo-babe!) your toys.  i love watching you turn the pages of the books as we read, pick up individual cheerios or berries, and point to the birds and flowers on our walks.  nothing calms you down like a good snack and being out in nature.

your teeth are FINALLY starting to make an appearance!  there are two pushing through the bottom and one on the top/side.  you never really picked up crawling on all fours, preferring to scoot/slide/crawl to wherever you want to be.  now you cruise along furnitures and fences at top speeds and you practically run if someone is holding your hands!

we're so thankful to have shared this past year with you and are so excited for all of the times yet to come.  we love you soooo much!

♥♥♥,
mama and daddy