Dear Hadley

Dear Hadley,
I bet every mother who writes a letter to her one-year-old starts off by saying, “I can’t believe you’re one already!” Well, it’s the truth. What happened to my roly poly baby girl?

So many times in your short life we’ve remarked on what a joyful person you are. Not so much lately, but we’ll chalk that up to molars. And let’s not forget how LOUD you are! Maybe this is because you have an active older brother to overshadow you, but you are very adept in making yourself be heard. We’re banking on you becoming a diva singer.

You are very adventurous and usually flail around in our arms until we let you down to crawl around, climb stairs, and quite often get into the dog food. Or, get the dog food into you, really.

No one can believe how tall and heavy you are – and we always laugh at how much you eat and how much you love food. I’d say spaghetti is your current fave. Good choice. I also take pride in how healthy you’ve always been.

You like a good schedule and can rarely keep it together past 7:00 PM. But, you usually roll with the punches (you usually don’t have a choice with Bastien around). You’ve been going to the pool with us pretty much since birth and never once flinched about being in the water. You’ve also been to pretty much every playground, beach, and library around. You’ve been to a lot of churches too – almost always happily. Though there was that time around your first Christmas when you always got us paged out of service due to stranger anxiety. You sure didn’t want me out of your sight and you sure let everyone know. This was OK (and short lived) thought I admit I was going to church to catch a break – and also I stressed the nursery workers out by not understanding (thus not responding to) the pager system that first time.

You’ve been a great little traveler, heading happily to Jekyll Island, Niagara Falls and Duck, North Carolina where we had a very happy first birthday celebration.

On your first birthday you woke up with a new tooth and we spent the day with a really stressful drive on the Northern Outer Banks beach looking for wild horses and generally being scared out of our minds at the treachery of it all. It also happened to be nap time and you did not like it one bit. Shrieking from your car seat probably wasn’t helpful to your dad’s concentration. But we all made it and it was pretty funny after all – and what other one-year-old can boast such an adventurous birthday? We ended the day with a delicious meal of burgers and sides, cupcakes and ice cream, all in our cheery vacation home. Bastien helped you blow out your candle and you danced to the music on the CD. Who knows? Maybe by the time you read this, CDs will be a thing of the past and you will realize how much things are always changing in your lifetime – just like you.

One thing is constant though. I’m talking about our endless love for you. You make us all feel special – your squeals for Daddy, the way you need to have a quick hug and finger suck on my shoulder when I first pick you up in the morning, and the way you’re always entertaining Bastien. Even sneaking away to bang on his door and wake him up at your whim.

You’re the best little girl we could hope for, a perfect addition to our family and just completely irresistible. Just like you can’t help yourself from dancing excitedly to any tune (or even any doorbell chime for that matter) – we cannot resist you and all of your happiness. You’re a one-of-a-kind wonder and we’re lucky to have you.

Happy birthday (a little late) big girl.
Love and kisses,
Mommy