my thoughts are all over the place right now. should i write this as a letter to nori so she can enjoy one day in the future? should
i just type in bullets bc my thoughts are that detached from one another? should i just go in the corner and cry, forget about
blogging all together? lol. oy vey. i suppose i can pull it together, since i can no longer be in denial about this day, for it’s finally
here whether i like it or not. i know this because geoffrey the giraffe called me today and told me so. hmph.
***
Dear nori, 12.20.10
i can’t believe a whole year has past. where has the time gone? last night it hit me like a bag of bricks. i wrapped one of your presents and
signed, “to nori jo, love your mommy and daddy!” wow. we are parents! it really seems like it’s finally the time when we can start talking
about having a baby, and yet dad and i have already been married THREE years and we have a one year old?! how did this happen??
your nonni always told me when i little, time flies so fast, she blinked her eyes and we were driving! i didn’t believe her then, but boy
do i understand now! this year has been so amazing. we are beyond blessed to have you in our lives. you truly are the happiest baby
i’ve ever known, and seriously, i know a lot of them. the way your bright eyes and big gummy smiles can just light up any room, it’s
unbelievable. you are the sweetest little thing. daddy and i can’t get over how you MUST hug and kiss every child or animal in the
room. and i’m also glad you finally realized that us adults love those kisses just as much! 😉 watching you grow hasn’t been easy for me.
i know it HAS to happen and i should be excited about every new thing you do, and i am..but seriously, stop growing so fast! i know
i’m home with you everyday, but i still feel like i spend so much time working, that i’m trying to keep you occupied more than enjoying
you. i mean, after all, who gets to go to work with their mommy every day?? ha! i’m so excited for what lies ahead. so excited for
you to have brothers and sisters to play with. i’m excited to hear you say sentences, to watch you run, to see you play soccer!! but for
now, can you just stay petite for me, for just a little while longer? even though you’re a ‘toddler’ now, you still look like a baby, and that’s
helping me take this in a lot easier! 😉 and thanks for waiting until you were a year to get a tooth, that really has helped mommy in a
number of ways too! so now i suppose i should stroll down memory lane. let’s look at how big you truly are. sighhhhh….
<3
12.20.09 last belly shot in mama.
wow. we knew you were breech for months. no wonder you wouldn’t flip for me. your toes were literally touching your nose!
you had a rough start. mommy didn’t get see and hold you for long before you ended up in the NICU getting blood transfusions.
we finally got to bring home our healthy bundle of joy. we couldn’t wait to announce your arrival! 6.3lbs, 18in of perfection!
only took 2mths and you were smiling so big, you had daddy’s heart melting. he has no idea what he’s in for the rest of his life! 😉
3mths. man, you’ve always done so well with glasses and bows! thank goodness to, cause i wouldn’t have it any other way! 😀
3.5mths! your first official milestone of rolling over! i did it!
5mths. we were so thankful for such a beautiful baptism on my first mother’s day!
boy, you have papaw wrapped around your finger too. at just 6mths you had him in the teeniest baby pool with you!!
nonni and poppi call these your munchkin pics. you sure make some hilarious faces!
7mths. we realized you were giving kisses!
you’re so beautiful!
8.5mths. that gummy smile is the best.
9.5mths. you are such a goof. always so dramatic!
your first halloween! i can’t wait for years of dressing up with you!!
you’ve been the best little nurser. i often forget how blessed we are to have had nursing be so easy for both of us. i joke with others that, that’s
the one thing that went according to my plan during pregnancy and delivery! i’m so thankful to have all those moments that no one can enjoy but us!
you’ve been so healthy. after your initial rough start, you’ve remained healthy as can be this whole year. in fact you just got your first runny nose when
you cut that tooth last week! how amazing! and we know you’re not ready to completely give it up, it’s cool, i’m not either! 🙂 i’ll get you through the winter!
10.5 mths. the above and below shots were taking by our very talented friends, bobbi and mike. they’ve been documenting our lives since our
engagement. here they captured our most favorite thing to do with you! play in bed! it’s the absolute best way to start our days.
11 mths. you have always loved the bath. 🙂
i took on this project by myself. every month on the 20th, give or take a day depending on our schedule, i took her pic. bc of the blog format, i couldn’t
put them all in one frame. so her first 6mths, then 7-12 mths. her emotions tell so much about what she was doing each month. so cute.
here you are from less than a week to on your first bday! my how you’ve grown! you’re so big!
now our house is filled with mine and daddy’s immediate families. we are all here to celebrate YOU! if i don’t stop now,
i’ll write forever. so today is your day. let’s go play and eat cake! yippeeee! i love you nori girl. happy birthday baby. 🙂
heart, mommy. (and daddy and lilo)
