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Dear Sydney,

Today you are 1.  You have endured 1 loop around the sun on this crazy Earth.  In this crazy life, with your crazy family.  Mostly, you have survived one year growing up alongside your crazy brother.

(He was all excited to get his house pillow and take pics with you only to refuse to put that spoon down and no make eye contact or any other face than that one.  Crazy kid.)

This last year has held more joy than I have ever known.  It's like I was waiting for you to complete us all along.

And then you were here and all was just right.  Adding the perfect amount of sweetness and softness that we were missing.

You sure made it easy and fun to have a baby again.  But it would silly to be sad about leaving your babyhood behind when we get to wake up to this girl everyday...

This girl that is so goofy and loves to play peek-a-boo with anything she can find.   She who can easily scale the stairs and walk around the room while holding onto furniture but is not quite ready to walk independently yet.  She who loves Minnie Mouse and singing and dancing.  "Her" who has so quietly and without force made her way to the center of our hearts (which I did not know how that was possible before but now I do).

Which makes me excited to watch you grow in this next year.  And the year after that.  And the year after that.

But before we do that, lets remember your 1 year old toes...

Your petite 1 year old little body standing with assistance of a 1995 Barbie Dream House filled with Marvel superheroes taking baths, doing push ups, riding the elevator and cooking dinner.

Your 1 year old bedroom...

But because Mother Nature decided today was the perfect day for a blizzard, we will celebrate all of your first year next weekend.

Loved your first year.  Loved every minute.

Love you,
Mama