happy birthday Finley Mae!

To my sweet Finley Mae,

Today you turn ONE and I just look at you and think of how blessed we are to have you in our life. Since the day I found out I was pregnant I couldn’t wait to meet you, hold you, play with you, sing to you and tell you how much I love you. When I found out that you were a girl I wondered whether you would like to play dress up and be girly like your mama or whether you’d be more of a tomboy like your grandma. Would you have blue eyes like me or brown like daddy? I wondered if you would like music, sports, or animals. Would you be funny and smart like your daddy or crafty and passionate like me. What foods would you like, would you like to cook with me, would you want to watch football with daddy. I couldn’t wait to get to know you and watch you grow. I knew you would be beautiful but never did I imagine just how perfect you would be. Finley, you are something special, you are extraordinary. You light up every room you are in and put a smile on every face that sees you. You make my heart melt with love.

Your journey into this world did not start off easy. At six weeks early you had so many things working against you. But little did we know how strong and powerful 4 lbs, 3 oz could be. You exceeded every expectation the doctors had for you and proved you have a special zest for life. God must have known I needed you to be strong because I was so worried, felt so weak and vulnerable when we learned you would be arriving early. I cried when you were given shots, I sobbed when I thought you were scared, and I sat by your side every single day you were in the hospital. The day you were born the doctor told us that you would be in the NICU for six weeks. We brought you home after eleven days! They kept telling us “she’s small but mighty.” Daddy and I couldn’t have agreed more. In your own way you were telling us “mom and dad don’t worry, I can do hard things.” I would hold you every moment the nurses let me and I would beg them to let you stay in my arms just a little longer. I think they knew how important those snuggles were for the both of us. Daddy and I spent hours just staring at you in awe. Would couldn’t believe you, this perfect little baby, was ours.

As you grow, you show us what a happy, loving, outgoing personality you have. I couldn’t have dreamed up a better baby. You have always been so content and never fussy. In fact, we didn’t even hear you cry for weeks after bringing you home. You giggle at almost everything we do – a silly face, an unexpected sound, or even just hearing your name. Your happiness and passion for life is contagious and the way you find amazement in the smallest things inspires me to see the world in a new way… clothes tumbling in the dryer brings you jumping to your feet or the sensation of a puppy’s lick and soft fur brings out your bursts of laughter. You have a deep love for animals and I know it is a testament to how compassionate and true your heart is. At just a few months old you would shake, squeal and wave your hands at the mere sight of a dog, and was the cutest thing we had ever seen! I love listening to you talk to your baby when you wake up in the morning and I especially love the big, wet, open mouth kisses you give us when we ask you to give us kisses. Before you were born I wrote in a journal entry that my biggest hope for you is to be a kind, loving person. Finley, you are already that kind and loving person – and have shown it at such a young age. Anything else you do in life is just a cherry on top!

My sweet peanut, I am so proud of you. From the moment the nurses told me they had removed your breathing tubes because you had gained the strength to breath on your own I knew what real pride was. At that moment I burst out into tears, uncontrollably, because I knew you would be okay. You were a fighter and I was so proud. That was just the beginning of many proud moments with you. This year has been one amazing moment after another. Each new thing you learn, each kiss you give, all of it makes me so honored to be your mom. You have learned so much in such a short time. You love to crawl up the stairs, open drawers, take everything out of drawers and baskets – one item at a time. You love to dance – oh girl you love to dance. If there is music on you are either shaking your bum or rocking your body. Watching how happy you are when you dance is always the highlight of my day. You love being by my side – you are usually either standing at my legs, in my arms or crawling quickly behind me. You light up when daddy comes home from work. He just looks at you and you burst out in giggles. I am living my dream having you and daddy in my life. I am so thankful to him that he supports our family so I can stay home with you. Our time together is priceless. 

I wondered what things you would take after me in and which things you would get from daddy – and now I know. You got the best of both of us.

This has been the greatest year of my life, we love you peanut! To the moon and back again.