one

my beautiful penelope

october 6, 2009

weigh in at 17 lbs. 8 oz.

height is at 74 cm

hard to believe you are one.

you are stunning, what is a mom supposed to write to her daughter, what words will tell you how much i love you, how do i describe the great amount of joy you bring our little family.

you have this giggle, it comes from your toes, the same place that your scream comes from. your toes curl under and with all your might you let us know your deepest thoughts, you are not afraid to show us how you feel. your face lights us with your smile. your eyes dance with joy. you are tough. you chatter away as though teaching a class. you have no boundaries and will climb to anyone close. you scoot instead of crawl. you eat anything.

this year has traveled past faster than i thought it would. i want to somehow recount our adventures to you, share of our journeys to far off lands, talk of the times we played and memories we made, yet in the same instant i just want to look at you, to capture you as you are, today, right now, for i know that tomorrow you will not look the same. tomorrow will come and you will be a day older, wiser, maturer, more beautiful. i caught myself holding you a little longer yesterday, a little tighter, i wonder if i didn't hold you long enough while i could.

i wonder what tomorrow will look like, will we ride bikes together even when my hair is grey, will you come for weekly dinners, hold my hand while we walk, thinks its gross that i kiss your dad in front of you? will you and your sister love each other the way i can only hope for, will you stand up for each other and respect each other. will you be proud of her and the accomplishments she has achieved as i hope she is for you. will you laugh as hard together then as you do now, will she pick you up and haul you around even when you are adults. i truly hope she is better at sharing then she is today.

penelope, my dreams for you are simple. to live passionately, to love deeply, to not be afraid to step out and follow your heart. dance my beautiful girl, dance. dance with all the joy that is inside you, live out the convictions of your heart. love the Lord with every part of your being. never be worried about making the wrong choice. love well, adore and cherish whom ever comes into your life. dream big, and then live those dreams. follow the commands of our God and then i will know that you will have the most wonderful life.

my sweet, beautiful penelope, i love you more than words can share. happy birthday.