Dear Anthony,

Dear Anthony,
Happy First Birthday! I know I'll forget so many things about your first year as time goes on, so I want to share with you my favorite things about you. This has been with out a doubt the best year of my life. From the second you came into my life, I knew that I would never be without you. You bring so much light into my world and I am so thankful for you and for your place in our family. I love your giggle. I love your perfect tiny spaced 4 teeth. I love the way you make a motor boat sound when you are playing by yourself. I love that you figure things out for yourself. You climb and open and close and pull out and put back and tap and shake and stack and knock over all that you get your perfect little fingers on. You never shy away from something new. You are not afraid of anything. You love to be with the people that love you. I love the way you rub your little eyes with the backs of your hands when you're tired and you snuggle up to me and put your head on my shoulder when you feel you need safety. I love your scarce super blonde hair, making you look like a baldy. I love when I smell your feet and tell you "peeewwwww, stinky" you laugh. Hard. I love that you love the water; baths, sprinklers, pools, the dog's water dish, anything...you love to splash. I love the way you eat, opening your mouth as wide as a crocodile. I love the way you pick up one little cheerio with your thumb and your forefinger and if you miss your mouth, you chase the cheerio up your arm until it lands in your mouth. I love your serious face, I love your silly face. I love watching your face the first time you try a new food. I love how delighted with yourself you are when you're walking around.

It wasn't for about another hour that you came into this world, one year ago. You cried before you were all the way out and the one thing I will always remember is the doctor saying "You can't cry, you're not even born yet." You were so alert, and wide awake. I spend those first 48 hours staring at you. I couldn't take my eyes off you. And here we are, an entire year later. You're walking, and jibby-jabbering and feeding yourself cheerio's. I have loved every single second of it. Every day gets better and better.

You are such a sweet spirit and I love you much. I love your daddy and the rest of our family (which may not be here yet). I know you are a child of God and He love you. He will always be with you and guide you. Listen to Him, follow Him and trust Him. I have so many things I want to teach you and so many things I want you to learn about on your own. I promise to try to look at every situation as a learning and teaching experience.

At one year old you love your daddy and mommy, your dog Scout, your Nana and Pop, Grandma and Grandpa, aunts, uncles, cousins, great-grandparants. You love to feed yourself, although you're rarely given the opportunity because you shove ALL your food into your mouth at the same time, and have choked a few times, which has given me a few gray hairs, and heart attacks. You love to clap, wave goodbye, dance, watch Sesame Street and tease your dog. You smile at me when you first wake up, which makes my heart melt. You laugh at yourself when you burp, sneeze, toot, cough. Which has proven, you're never too young to think bodily functions are funny. You love ice-cream. To the point of a small melt-down when it's all gone. You love to get into anything you're not supposed to. Cupboards, tight spots, electical cords, up on the coffee table, end table, etc. You love to be chased and laugh and wait for me to catch up to you, then run, then stop and wait for me, then laugh...

I love you so much and I look foward to all the "firsts" you will have in your life. I love watching you learn and grow. You're the perfect you.

I love you.

Love,
Mommy