Happy Birthday, Curran!

My sweet CurryBug,

It is so very hard to believe that I held you for the first time exactly one year ago. Sometimes it seems like you have always been a part of our family, yet there are other times when I look at you and still can't believe you are ours and are here to stay. The magnitude of your presence in our lives still overwhelms me at times. Your daddy and I feel so very blessed that you were chosen to be our daughter, and not a day goes by that I don't thank God for you. We know how tremendously lucky we are to have such a healthy and happy child.

From the moment you were born, you were wide awake taking the world in. "Alert" was the most common adjective used to describe you during the first few weeks of your life. Indeed, you were born at 2:29 p.m. and I don't think you closed your eyes to go to sleep until around 6:00 that night! The first night in the hospital you were screaming so loudly that a nurse came running in to check on us! Those first few months were not easy, but I look back on them with such nostalgia and sometimes would give anything to be back there for a moment.

I have been sad as the Big 0-1 has approached. Not because I don't love the stage you are in now; you are SO precious and so much fun! But because it marks the end of your babyhood. No more nursing, no more bottles, no more swaddling, no more sweet little infant coos. But of course, we have lots to look forward to as you enter into toddlerhood. I can't wait to see how your personality develops. I can't wait to have sweet conversations with you and hear what's bouncing around in your head. I am in awe of how much you have grown and how quickly you are learning things!

I got choked up this morning as I read through texts, emails, and FB messages from my closest friends wishing you a happy birthday. Our friends and family have been incredibly kind and generous throughout the past year, and we certainly couldn't have made it without them. You are so blessed to have so many people who love you like you are their own, and who would do anything for you. I pray that as you grow up you will always feel surrounded by love, and in turn bless those around you by showing kindness and compassion to all.

I find myself thinking to the days in the {hopefully very distant} future when you might become a mother because I want you to so badly understand how much I love you. There is absolutely no way I could ever convey such a deep, life-altering love with words. But I will try to show my love for you in every single thing that I do. Never doubt for one second that your daddy and I love you more than anything in this world.

Happy first birthday to the best gift I have ever received.

Love,
Mama