My Baby Turns One!!

May 25, 2008

Dear Allie,

For your first birthday, I wanted to give you something special that you would be able to keep for always and be reminded how much your mother loves you and how special you are. You have been a priceless gift to our family and have brought us so much joy in the last year. How blessed and how lucky I feel to have the privilege of being your mother.


For My Tiny

You were born on daddy’s twenty-eighth birthday; pure coincidence- I wonder?
(Or did you plan that out in heaven just to come and steal his thunder..?)
Either way, we’re so glad you were born, regardless of which day
(Besides, daddy later told me that he wouldn’t want things any other way.)

To have a little girl in our home has been such a wonderful thing, I think
I spent the months before your birth decorating your room with green and pink
And putting little girly clothes neatly on your shelf in little stacks and rows
I even spent hours and hours making you lots of those little stick-on bows.

We brought you home from the hospital on a Sunday, when you were 2 days old
Nana was with us, and we sat you down on the couch, finally here for Drew to hold
He loved you from the first moment he laid eyes on you- our little bundle of joy
He even offered you his number one- Thomas the Train, his favorite toy.

From the very beginning of your life you were such an amazing sleeper
You slept through the night at two weeks old- (oh my- were you ever a keeper!)
A sweet calming spirit is what you were- you held such great peace around you
To be in your presence- having you in our home was like a dream come true.

You got your daddy’s green eyes, and your hair is just like your mother
(But the older you got, the more you just looked a whole lot like your brother!)
People would constantly stop us in the store just to admire you and Bubba
Two sweet little kids, just sitting being good, oh how much I just love ya!

I can tell that you are sassy- (I call it assertive) you let your opinion show!
(I only fear the day when you finally figure out how to say the word “no!”)
You love to play with Drew- you like to play with all his toys
You think trains are so much fun- they aren’t just for boys!

We called you our little Allie Cat, which was a cute nickname for a while
Then I started calling you Angel Girl, which always seemed to make you smile
Right now, the name is “Tiny” because you’re smaller than the rest
And Nana calls you Cupcake- we’re not sure which name we all like best!

Now that you are one year old, you are learning how to find your own way
Learning how to sit, then crawl, then stand, and finally walk some day
Coming a little bit closer every day to saying what you want to say
Making daily progress as you learn and laugh, and grow and play.

Your brother loves you very much; he is always very kind and gentle to you
(Even when you tear apart his train tracks, which you always like to do)
He couldn’t wait until you were bigger so he would have a little friend to play
Now he is realizing that having a sibling means not always getting his way!

Watching the two of you together fills my heart with so much joy
To see the love that can be shared by a little girl and a little boy
You are a precious gift, sent to our family by a loving Father above
This past year you have filled my heart to overflowing with love.

Love,

Mommy

(Yes, yes, a bit corny, I know. I wrote a similar one for Drew on his birthday and only thought it fitting to do the same for Allie. Don't make fun of it too much!)

p.s. Stay tuned for pictures of the party! It was so much fun...!