Dear Miss Madelyn,

Now you are one. It is hard to believe more than a year has passed since we first said hello.  Our days are full and it often feels as though one simply fades into the next. I try my best to savor each moment with you, and the quiet calm that comes with rocking you to sleep each night is among my favorite parts of our days. I love when you curl up into my chest and I rub your back right before you go to bed.

You feel things deeply and your dad and I have learned that you have high highs and low lows. You scream in delight when you’re happy and you scream out of anger when you’re mad. We’ve lovingly nicknamed you Level-10 Madelyn during those unhappy moments. My favorite nickname for you during the past year was Little Bittle, which your big brother called you for about five months straight. It has slowly faded out, but I love that he came up with that sweet name for his little sister.

You adore your big brother and wander from room to room saying “aaa-dee” searching for him. For quite some time I thought you were calling out daddy, but we soon figured out that is your special little call for Evan. You squeal in delight each morning when you see him for the first time and you scream happy screams when he gets you. In the car, he makes faces at you to make you laugh and both of you end up in giggles.

Since the day you were born, you were busy. You have busy hands and I hope you carry that trait throughout life. You love to help me unload the dishwasher and you enjoy carrying things from room to room to find new homes for them. Yesterday your daddy found his cell phone in the top drawer of my nightstand. We’re still missing your brother’s beloved Taggie bear that suddenly disappeared somewhere in the house two weeks ago. I keep thinking we’re going to find it tucked away somewhere right at your level.

You have quite a sense of humor and you know when you’re being funny. You love to put your brother’s (clean) underwear on your head because you know it will get a laugh out of us.

You are very determined in everything you do. For weeks you attempted your first steps, taking a few at a time before returning to the floor on your hands and knees. Then at 5:00 on a Wednesday evening just before your birthday, you decided it was time to walk. You gave up crawling just like that and embarked on a new adventure in your life. May you always have such ease in closing one door and opening another.

Thank you so much for being my little sweetie, for teaching me something new each day and for letting me share my life with you. I’m head over heels in love with you and I can’t wait to watch you grow.

All my love,

Mommy