1st year

I can't even begin to express how much your father and I both love you. You've brought so much joy and happiness to our lives that it's changed all of us in ways that we could never imagine. I wish I were a better writer so I could better convey all of this. But I'm not.

So today, on your 1st birthday, let me just humbly say thanks to you one more time.

Thanks for coming into our world and filling our lives with more meaning than we ever could have imagined. You've taught us that, at the end of the day, the only things that truly matter in life are love, family and a bowl of chocolate ice-cream.

Thanks for reminding me to live in the moment. You've taught me to not be so consumed by the past or the future and to enjoy every second in life to the fullest.

Thanks for letting me see the world again through your eyes. Watching your eyes widen as you discover or experience something for the first time reminds me of all the beauty in this world. Sometimes, I forget.

Thanks for reminding me how far a warm kiss and a big hug can go in cheering someone up.

Thanks for teaching me that, although there are many different kinds of love, there is no true love like the one a parent has for their child.

Have a great birthday. Your father and I continue to be amazed at the person you're becoming and can't wait to see how the rest of your story unfolds.