Today is your very first birthday. You have been blessing your lives for one whole year, which seems like a very short and very long amount of time.

You started the day with a little cuddle with me in the rocking chair, which is how we usually start our days. You snuggled into my lap with your blankie, looked up at me and said “book?” So, of course, we had to read one. You’re in quite the arts and letters phase right now, and love books and music more than anything. After our book we went into see Daddy and all cuddled in bed together singing Happy Birthday. You love it when we sing to you.

You celebrated your actual Birth Day in grand style surrounded by some the people who love you most – your parents, Grandmas Carol and T, and Grandpa John. We ate your favorite foods for dinner (turkey, pesto pasta with cheese, veggies and bread) and you devoured a fruit tart from Ken’s Bakery for dessert. Literally you dissected the fruit tart until there was nothing left. You do love your fruit.

Before you were born I couldn’t have imagined what a joyful little person you would be. When you smile it’s like sunshine and when you’re excited the joy and love just come shooting out of you. There is nothing so wonderful as hearing you give great big belly laughs, though really only your Daddy can elicit those. The rest of us are content to just to get you to giggle and chuckle.

You can be quite headstrong and stubborn, though you’re pretty even-tempered unless you’re hungry. When you’re hungry then Watch Out World! For the most part you’re easy going but when you decide to dig your heels in then there is no budging you. I look forward to seeing what your passions will be. I hope you will your strong will for the powers of good 🙂

While your daddy can get you to belly laugh just by looking at you (I swear) I prefer our quieter times. There is no greater feeling in the world to my, my sweet darling, than when you snuggle into my arms and let your body relax into mine. I hope to always give you a place that makes you feel so safe and content. You won’t understand this until you have your own sweet babies, but taking care of you is the most awesome responsibility of my life. It is also my greatest joy.

I look forward to seeing what the next year, and the many years after that, bring to you.

Happy Birthday Clare Elizabeth!

Your loving Mama