2015-09-18 12.58.06

Dear Tessa,

I just can’t believe I am sitting here and writing you your ONE YEAR letter! I blinked and you were one. This has probably been one of the fastest years of my life. Although sometimes the days seemed long and overwhelming, I have to say that looking back it all happened way too fast. You have such a HUGE personality! You bring a smile to my face the moment I see you wake up to the moment I put you to bed. You are my spunky little big girl. You are one, but think you are four and that can be a challenge, but I also love watching you explore and try new things. There is so much I want to tell you and share so that I can remember everything. Our life is so full and that leaves me and my mind always moving, and I don’t want it all to pass me by without capturing the most special moments. So here goes.

We made it to a year in the nursing department! We did it! I love it so much and I am struggling with stopping but that is for a different post. At this point we are down to morning and night feedings. I cut out the two mid day feedings just the other week because of a poison ivy and medication incident, but it had to be done anyway. I didn’t feel too bad about cutting them out because you seemed disinterested during the day, but morning and night are just special. You don’t love to snuggle, so it’s the only time that I get to just sit and hold you. It’s just me and you and I cherish that.

You love your crib. I never even know when you wake up in the morning because sometime I wake up (or more likely Christian wakes me up) and I check the monitor and there you are just playing with your dollys. I then come in and you stand and smile. Most days you start handing me which Dolly’s or stuffed animal you want out with you. The bottom line is you wake up with the biggest smile on your face and it is so great to wake up to that!

As I said above you think you are four like your brother. You want to run when you can just barely walk, and you want to climb when its inevitable that you will fall. You want to use a fork by yourself, put caps on all of your packets, and you mimic everything I do. If I eat a chip and dip it you want to too. I watch your little head spin and try to figure out how you can be a big girl too.

You love to eat. Not necessarily sit and eat in your high chair but you love food. I wish you would like to sit in your chair so I could cook or get something accomplished but that’s not the case. You eat fast and you want more, and if I give you something you want something else. But you eat it, and that’s good. Your favorite food? hmmmm pizza maybe? Least favorite? Not sure….

You love shoes! Such a girl! You want shoes on, and then you want them off. Headbands on…headbands off….sunglasses on sunglasses off. Can a one year old love to play dress up already? You love dolls and you pick them up, hug them and pat them. Such the little mommy. You love your brothers toys though. If he isn’t home you will grab them and look around like you are doing something you are not supposed to. You find Christian hysterical. He could be pretending to use you as a chair (which he does!) and you laugh. I hope you two remain friends forever.

Although you don’t love to cuddle you certainly love your mommy. You whine the moment I walk out of a room. You know what? That’s OK. It gets hard because I don’t get a break, but I cherish the fact that I make you feel safe and secure. That’s my job and I love doing it. You are my baby girl…my peanut.

You are spunky, smiley, determined and smart. You keep me on my toes every single day and I love you. I love watching you grow and explore. I take such joy in showing you the world. We have so many more adventures ahead.

love mommy