Thursday, April 23, 2015

Dear God, and Dear Kate

Dear God,
Today is Kate's first birthday. Thank you God for the precious gift you've given us in Kate. Thank you for a year of health and growth, of love and joy, and for the gift of witnessing a baby turn into a toddler. God, to me, there's no other place in the world where you power and majesty is as clear as it is in birth and childhood.

As Kate's heavenly Father, I know your love and hope for Kate is even deeper than my own. God I pray that you continue to work within Kate to grow her into a faithful follower of Christ. I rejoice that you've claimed her as your own, even in these years before she can really even understand what that means. Please guide Dan and me in parenting, give us the patience and wisdom we need in this journey. God please give Kate a joyful spirit, a tender heart and tough skin.

With gratitude and awe at your marvelous and gorgeous creation,
Amen.

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Dear Kate,
Sweet, tiny, happy baby Kate. Happy Birthday beautiful daughter. When I walked into your room this morning you were your usual smiley self, sitting happily in your crib, smiling at your mom and sissy, listening to your happy birthday song. Dear Kate you are a joy and this year has been wonderful. You were born two days before we closed on the house we live in, and you've been so patient and flexible in all the change this last year brought.

We've watched every little "first" you've had - because we don't really think we'll have another baby, and we want to make sure we really absorb your big moments. We've prayed for you, with you, over your laughs, over your cries. We've taken you picking pumpkins and swimming, family dinners, trips to Grandma's at the beach. You've learned so much this year - from those tiny new things like opening your eyes and learning to smile, to the bigger things like crawling and sign language, eating real food, feeding yourself. We have loved watching you grow little girl. And this was the year of your life that you and I will spend the most time together of ANY year in the future. Can you imagine that? This year you won't remember? Just read this one day and know how much I loved all our minutes tiny Kate. Even the ones in the wee hours of the morning.

Kate you're amazing. You love cheese. I mean LOVE cheese. You crawl and scoot all around this house. You're starting to want to go up the stairs. You pull up on the dining room window and stand there and stare at the backyard and the trees. You don't cry much, but you get deeply wounded when daddy and I tell you 'no', and you do like to try to snatch things from your sister a lot. You love Baxter, and climb all over Reese too. You find the tiniest little pieces of things on the floor and taste them all. Yuck. You imitate us a lot - actions, sounds - it's so cute. Your first and only real word so far is dog, and we don't even have one silly girl. Sometimes you pet your little friends and call them dog too. I bet they love that. You go to the Y, and to Sunday School, and sometimes stay with our family members. You're so easy about that. You give kisses, high fives, wave bye bye. You sign for "more" and "all done". You have a purple blankie, a stuffed pig named Polly, and don't like to wear shoes or socks at all. You have five teeth and far more hair than sissy did at age 1. You love splashing in the bath and sucking your thumb. You fall asleep every time we want you to, and always, ALWAYS wake up happy.

Lovely Kate, here's my birthday wish for you: I wish you keep your simple, easy joy, I wish your heart becomes full of compassion and love, and I wish your mind to be curious, driven, and bright.

I've loved these first year days baby girl. And I love you way more than you'll know, at least until you're a momma yourself one day.

Love,
Your grateful mom