What an amazing year it has been...

Well, it's official - our little girl is one year old today. When 6:34 p.m. rolled around, the exact hour she was born a year ago, I grabbed her and tried to kiss her. Her little toddler self was having none of that though as she was in the middle of walking around with a toy when I grabbed her. She fussed and squirmed as I kissed her and then I gave in and let her go back to playing.

I was a mix of a emotions as this day approached. I waxed nostalgic for her newborn days in a way I had not expected. Sam said he saw this coming from day one, but hey, I was just enjoying the ride. You don't want your kids to remain infants forever, you don't. And she is truly getting her own personality now - she cracks both herself and me up on a daily basis. Annabelle has the most amazing grin, and there is nothing more rewarding then when she smiles as me unabashedly because something I did made her happy. You can't buy that kind of recognition and adoration. But at the same time, I do miss those days when I held her all day long and she fell asleep next to me nursing. I was her whole world for awhile there and it was a pretty amazing thing to be. I know, it was hard and tiring at the time, I remember thinking that then, but now...as my little girl already pushes my hands away when we walk outside because she wants to walk to the gate on her own, I miss being her world sometimes.

Anyway...Annabelle is wonderful - she is a happy and healthy kid and she brings me so much joy - it's all the cliches of parenthood - you know, love like you have never known before, happiness in simple gestures, etc. Sam, Annabelle and I went out to our favorite mexican place to celebrate her exciting big day. Sam and I each had a margarita to toast the big day while Annabelle had her goldfish crackers. We've done good Sam and I - I think we were meant to be parents. But you know what? Having such an amazing little one like Annabelle sure does make it a lot easier.

I am off to bed now...I am still a little weepy and nostalgic, but as my mom told me - that just means I really enjoyed everything that led up to now, and that is a good thing.

Happy Birthday Annabelle Button!