Happy Birthday, my Tweet

Dear Avery,

Today you’re one.  You are growing too fast and learning too much and becoming too cute.  Mommy can’t handle it.  I can’t believe that it was a year ago today that we first met.  You had a pile of dark hair, pointy little elf ears, and an outtie belly button.  Where did those all go?  You’re becoming a beautiful, charming, super-genius that I just want to kiss and squeeze all day long. 

I go back to work in less than two weeks.  I will mourn the loss of our full days together.  I will forever miss spending endless hours with you, experiencing life just the three of us, with your big sister.  I’m going to miss your first steps, one reason I took a full year off, but that’s ok.  You’re laid back with the physical milestones, but you make up for it in spades with your verbal development.  Your doctor called you ‘a chatty little thing’ today.

You say hi and bye bye and ball and more and ma and dada and baba, rawr and woof.  You point your finger and grunt and can let us know exactly what you want.  You love to spit.  You love to spit.

Our most favourite quality about you is one we hope continues throughout your life.  You are the most affectionate baby I’ve ever known, with free hugs and kisses, real kisses.  You grab our face, turn it towards you and pucker up, making a kissy noise.  No doubt about it.  You’re a mushy kid and we can’t get enough.

While you can certainly be a cranky pants (remember Grocery Shopping Avery?), you can also charm the socks off a penquin.  A giant goofy grin, a whispery friendly ‘hi’, and every adult is putty in your hands.  You’re the kind of baby people gravitate to.

Today, on your very first birthday, I want you to know how much you are loved.  You and your sister are the most important people to your daddy and I and we wouldn’t trade you or any part of you for anything in the world.

Happy birthday, my tweet.

Love, Mommy