To Zoie on your first birthday

 "I tip toe, hush, hush
Pitter pat goes my heart
Your beauty, your innocence
Joy is found with every kiss...

My sweet, my lovely
My sweet, my lovely

I dreamed of you but I never knew
How sweet and lovely"

(Plumb)

Dearest Zoie,
A year ago you came into our lives. You are loved from before you were  conceived. We really wanted another baby so we prayed and put our desire before the Lord. Very quickly He answered our prayer and started knitting you inside me. My pregnancy with you was different than Maia's because we decided we wouldn't find out gender, and you would be our "surprise" baby. Your birth was such an exciting moment. We couldn't wait to meet you and find out whether you were a boy or a girl.

When you came out and we realized you were a girl, I was thrilled. It was exactly what I wanted--I so wanted another daughter (though we would have loved a boy too!). I had loved having a daughter in Maia, and I looked forward to see how another daughter would be different from her and yet just as delightful and wonderful.

We couldn't have imagined, dear girl, what a sweet love you would be! God has made you so beautiful... and your beauty goes beyond your adorable face. You have such a sweet nature! You are incredibly smiley and easy going. Your eyes are so expressive--overflowing with the joy and inquisitiveness of your character. You adore your big sister. From very early on you love communicating with me, whispering sweetest sounds while nursing. You are very attached to us. When daddy comes home from work your excitement is hard to contain.

These are a few of the things we want to remember about you at this age:

• You have two teeth. 
• You love to blow raspberries. 
• You like to use your pointer to show where you want to go. 
• You are cruising, and are almost walking. 
• You say "dada" and the other day I am pretty sure you said "baba" for "agua" (water in Spanish)
• You blow kisses  
• You love to run/ crawl away from us
• You love to play phone with your hand or anything that you can put on your ear
• You know what socks are and where they go
• You wave good bye
• You love to eat, and eat a lot!!
• You love to dance
• You are getting into everything and are quite persistent when trying to get your way. 
• You like to dance.
• You love to explore our apartment.
• You LOVE  bath time. As soon as we go inside the bathroom and you see the tub with water running, you almost jump off my arms and into the water.
• You imitate us all really well. Whenever any of us make certain sounds, you are really good at copying those sounds. 
• You really like to be part of the conversation when we are sitting around the dinner table. You find a way to participate somehow by imitating one of us or making us laugh.
• You also (like Maia when she was your age) call me "Nana"--what is up with that?!

Oh Zoie, I so look forward to see you grow up-- to hear you talk, to hear your thoughts, to know and love you more deeply. I don't know what the Lord has for our family in the future, but I pray that as you grow up in our family, Jesus would be your treasure and the Pearl of great price that you prize above all things. He is truly altogether lovely and worthy of our whole being, our whole life. I long for Him to give you His beauty.

I am so thankful for you, my sweet, little love. You are so yummy!!
Love you with my whole heart,
Mama

Despite what this looks like, Maia does truly love you! :)