One Year Old.

Dear Ellie,

Today, you are ONE!

One year ago today was one of the best and most frightening days of my life.  After an induction and a long and very unsuccessful labor, your little heart started to have some issues and you were born via emergency c-section, then taken away to the NICU, baptized, and collected by the transport team to head to another hospital for your tummy surgery.

You were a fighter from day one, busting out of your swaddle in my arms.  I looked to the nurses for help, because after all the medicine, I couldn't even feel my arms to get you back into your blanket.  You were born a day late, which drove me insane but which also proved to be a huge blessing in providing you the size and strength you needed for your first surgery.

Eleanor Claire, you've had quite a year.  Duodenal atresia repair.  The NICU.  Open heart surgery.  But you've also learned so much.  You learned to eat, which was kinda tough, given that no one let you eat anything at all for your first couple weeks of life.  You learned to feed yourself Cheerios.  You learned to eat cake.

You learned to hold your head up, to sit, to crawl, and to pull to a stand.  You learned to hug, to sign "more," to play with your ball popper, and to knock down massive towers of blocks.  You learned how to find whatever you are not supposed to touch in any given room and take off in hot pursuit of that item.

And you learned to totally and completely charm your family.

We love you.

Ellie, you've taught us patience and grace.  In your short life thus far, you've taught us about love and taught your daddy the joys of a house filled with pink.  You are teaching us daily to recognize the important moments in life, to slow down, and to love more.

Happy first birthday, sweet baby.  You've changed your family for the better.  I hope and pray you will always know that you are loved beyond belief.  We cannot wait to see what the coming year holds for you.

Love,
Mommy