Dear Nimmie,

As I go through my Flickr at all the pictures I have of you (973 total) during your first year of life, I’m amazed at how much you’ve changed. Not so much in your face….your sister takes the cake on that one…but moreso in your expressions, your smile, your eyes, your look. You were born a year ago today at 7:27 pm. You only weighed 5 pounds 13 oz and were only 17.5 inches in length. You were a teeny tiny little peanut, according to the nurse that weighed you right after you came out of me.

And was she ever right. You were the tiniest baby I’ve ever held. You were my baby…the baby that I carried in me for exactly 36 weeks. You were considered a preemie but you never acted like one. You were as healthy as any other full term newborn. My little fighter.

You didn’t let your small size hinder you at all and you started growing so fast.

Before we knew it, you were smiling:

and rolling over and trying to walk:

You were a fashionista at a very early age:

Everyone waited with anticipation for you to arrive, especially your big sister.

Right from the beginning she took on the role as your protector.

She worried about you rolling off the bed or crawling into something you shouldn’t be into. Oh, you’ve had your moments and sometimes she annoys you but in the end, I can already see how much y’all love eachother. You try to read like she does and she tries to dress like you do:

Everyone thought that it was me forcing y’all to dress alike but really, if I ever got an outfit for you specially made, Hannah made sure I got one for her too. I think she likes looking like you since she loves being your big sister. And as much as this might shock you, sometimes you get on her nerves too. Then she has to do things to make up for it.

Livie, we waited for you. We prayed for you to come to us….all 3 of us did. You took 9 months to make it from heaven into my belly and nothing made me happier than knowing I was pregnant with you. The day you were born changed our family forever. You completed us… the 3 of us. You made our little family whole.

The year brought many fun milestones and events. Not only did you learn to smile, sit up and crawl but you also pulled up on furniture and tried to take some steps. You grew FOUR teeth this year. 4 teeth that indeed brought us all a little hell but it was worth it to see that toothless grin change into a grin with pearly whites. You also had lots of first holidays including your first Halloween:

and Christmas:

and even your first beach trip:

I am so excited to watch you grow up. I can’t wait to see what kind of person you’ll be. Will you be sarcastic and witty like your sister and father? Will you be more reserved and inwardly funny like me? Will you be outgoing? Will you be shy? Will your hair stay curly? Will you dance like your sister? Will you be dramatic or will you be logical? Will you be spontaneous? All these things I wonder. And in time, I know they’ll be answered.

Your first birthday has brought so many emotions to the surface for me. The year went by so fast. In a way I want you to stay a baby forever…to stay innocent forever. In other ways, I can’t wait for you to get older…to hear you say words and watch you run and read and write.

Today, the day before your big party, before I have to share your  birthday with everyone else, I will cuddle you and kiss you and whisper in your ear that you’ll always be my baby no matter how old you are.

You are an amazing person already. Only a year old and already have taught me so much. I’ve changed because of you. I’m a better mother, a better person because of you. Thank you for letting me be your mother, Olivia Grace. We thank God for you everyday.

Happy first birthday, baby girl. We love you.