Dear Pippa,

Oh my heart. I can’t believe I’m writing you in celebration of your very first birthday. Already. I remember your birth day so vividly: seeing your pops crying tears of happiness when our midwife handed you to us; being placed on my chest for the very first time; the feeling of love that swept over my whole body when I looked at your sweet face.

You’ve changed us. You have taught us unconditional, unrelenting, forever-and-ever-and-ever love. The kind of love that we could only dream and wish about. A love that makes me want to hug strangers and wrap my arms around the whole universe, if I could.

I feel sad I can’t explain in words exactly how special you are. You exude warmth and joy and kindness, and bring happiness to everyone you meet. You’re independent and strong and clever and the smartest one year old I know. I’m so proud of the person you’re already becoming, and the kind of person I know you’re going to be.

Thank you for being you. Thank you for making us better people and for teaching us the truest sense of the word LOVE. Thank you for being patient while we learn about parenting one minute at a time, and for choosing US to be your mama and papa.

Here’s to an amazing first year, my little possum blossum. We are the luckiest two people in the whole wide world, and we love love love love love love LOVE you so very much.

xoxo

[Thank you to all our friends and family for helping to make Pippa's first birthday so special and memorable. We LOVED having you there to help join in celebrating this amazing milestone, and are so grateful to you all! Special thanks to my sister Mary and her husband Eric, who hosted the party at their lovely Seattle home!]

Dear Pippa,

Today you are 11 months… This marks the last month I get to attach a “month” to your age when people ask me how old you are. (Yes, I’m tearing up as I type this.) This month has flown by with yet even more new skills you’ve acquired, like TALKING and UNDERSTANDING and TAKING STEPS.

These things baffle me. I spend each and every day with you, and even though it seems you’re just the same old you each day, you manage to do something brand new and amazing every day. Like walking. That remains one of the most crazy awesome things I’ve ever seen: how do you go from standing upright on your own to taking that first wobbly step? You are a talented, skilful, amazing girl, my sweet Pippa. You’re brave and bold and audacious and everything I wish I could be.

And you are starting to communicate more clearly now: I ask you questions and you respond with a very Korean, very dramatic “uh.” Sure you may not know what I’m asking, but you know I’m asking a question, which makes me conclude that you are a genius. :)

Your games are getting more complicated too: you like me to hide things and then ask you where they are. And then you like to hunt around for it, looking under couches with your butt up in the air, or head first into your toy bucket. And when you find it, it’s as if you discovered the most wonderful toy in the whole wide world (when really it’s just your bath toy that you play with every day, Mr Quack Quack).

You amaze me.

I’m not sure I’m ready to call you my one year old yet. While I love that you’re getting more and more fun each day, I’m also aware that the days and weeks and months are passing all too quickly for my liking. I remember your birth day like it was yesterday – it still feels so fresh in my mind, and when I think about the day I held you in my arms for the first time, I get weepy with emotion. How can it be that you’re now nearly ONE?

I love you my darling girl. Thank you for making your Month 11 so funny and hysterical and charming and filled with so much new skill and talent. You are the sunshine of my life, and your pops and I adore you to the moon, stars, galaxies, infinity and back.

Happy end of Month 10 and the start of Month 11!!