Gracie Beth's Big Day

My baby girl is 1 today. I can't believe it really.

Dear Grace,

Your biggest of first milestones is today. You've had so many this year. First smile, first time you rolled over, first time you sat up, first time you pulled up, first time you crawled, first time you walked, that's a lot of firsts for such a little girl. You still have a lot of firsts to go. First day of school, first slumber party, first car, first date (we wont tell Daddy about that one). There is also the first time Liam pushed you. The first time you fell off the couch. And the blessed first time you slept through the night. Your first favorite song, "Row, row, row your boat." Which you sing the first three words of over and over until someone will finish it for you. Your first favorite TV show, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. And if anyone should get in your way you lean to see around them and make an ugly face.



You are coming into your own person. You have likes and dislikes. It's taken us some time to figure it out, but you don't care for apples or apple juice. You don't spit it out, but you'd rather have something else. You love meat. It's always the part of your meal that you finish first. You love to sing and dance. And while dancing just means bouncing and we don't understand the words to your songs, we love to watch you.



You started to walk after Papa's birthday party. All the cousins were running around playing chase and you wanted to join in so bad. In fact, you tried but crawling you couldn't keep up. You were very frustrated. And by the next week you'd figured out how to walk. You aren't playing chase yet, but it's only a matter of time. I wish you'd slow down just a little on the growing up, but you want to be like those big kids. I can't blame you for that.



Luckily though, you still like to snuggle. You aren't too big for that yet. And you aren't too big to give wonderful kisses. Right now, you love to give kisses to me. But you give Daddy a hard time. You'll give him a check or a forehead to kiss but you wont kiss him. We were shopping the other day and Daddy tried to get a kiss and instead of kissing him you leaned over and gave a kiss to me. It was very funny. And it makes my heart smile that you love Mommy so much.



Tomorrow is your big party day. A lot of people that love you so much will be at your house to celebrate you. It means so much to me that you have all those people in your life. But most importantly I'm glad you are in my life. I love you.

Love,
Mommy