Happy First Birthday Ashley!

Happy Birthday my little lady! You have brought all of us so much joy and happiness and smiles. We are proud of you everyday for learning and growing and just being you. You are funny and loving and sensitive and an overall happy, gentle natured child. My heart is so filled with love for you (and your sister) and it is the absolute best feeling in the whole world and I wouldn't trade it for anything. When you are sleeping at night, I check on you a few times before I go to bed or if I wake up in the middle of the night, I can't go back to bed without checking on you and leaning over to give you a kiss (thankfully I haven't fallen INTO the crib!) and to cover you up and to make sure your kiki is close by should you want it if you wake up. I am so happy I got to share your first birthDAY with you. You slept in until 7:37am, you had a nice warm bottle, and we went to Target to get your cake and mommy bought you some flowers, and off we went to Jodi's studio for your 1 Year pictures. You gave us lots of smiles and you crawled and tripped and hit your head- so after you calmed down, we took your dress off and had you meet your first b-day cake. You loved putting your hands and fingers in the cake and all over your face. You tried to crawl to me, and got your leg in it, and then you were mad and started to cry- so we wrapped up the session, but not before you tried to feed me your frosting from your tiny fingers. We went to Ridgedale and you reached out (literally!) to anyone who would look at you with your big smile and you made lots of friends. I bought you a journal that I will write in this year that you can have later for you to read in private. Just don't laugh. I'm sentimental, I know. I keep everything, I even kept your bellybutton from when you were a week old. Anyway, from there, we came home and had lunch and later Meme stopped by with a gift and Nana and Papa came over as well. Your party will be this weekend. You went to bed and I've checked on you twice. It's 10:08. I love you Ashee. I'll see you in the morning.

Love, Mommy