One Year Later

Dear Anne Morgan,

I don't think there are words to describe how your daddy and I feel about you. You are amazing. We love you more than we could have ever imagined; I always knew there was a special bond between a mother and her child and it was something unlike anything else, but I never could fully grasp what that was like...obviously. It is incredible. YOU are incredible.

This past year has been awesome. We have had quite a few trying experiences that would normally make one look back and say "Wow! What a year, I'm glad it's over" but since you were in our lives it's more of "WOW! What a year, I can't believe it's over!" We moved to Auburn when I was about 9 months pregnant with you. We still had not finished moving everything when you were born. Once we did get everything finished, we were getting settled in with you and beginning to relax. When you were just over a month old your brother Beasley was shot. It was a very emotional experience. It drug on and on and on. Poor boy had the hardest time healing. We had to make trips to the vet in Montgomery several times a week. He is better now though and able to play with you! Dr. Welch took great care of him. Right after he was shot the house flooded! We had to deal with moving everything out of the house, have the floors replaced and then move everything back in. That happened around Thanksgiving. I think we moved everything back in the week following. A few more months passed, we enjoyed having Daddy home with us. We decided (call us crazy) to completely re-do our backyard...all for you! It is SO much better. You have a wonderful yard with pretty grass to play in. And now you have a brand new play set that you can enjoy for years. Daddy started a new job this spring and it is truly an answer to prayer. He is so happy there. They actually care about you and his family! Just when things seemed to be going our way, you and I were in a wreck (in our brand new car!) on our way home from visiting your Grandmommy and Poppie at the lake. Fortunately we were OK. Here we are, two months later and we just got our car back yesterday, on your birthday. It's like being in a brand new car all over again! We have had THREE different rental cars over this period. One of which was broken into on a weekend trip to Birmingham. Oh the joys.

YOU have made this past year the best ever. When I look back, and I did a lot of that yesterday, all I see are good things. It was the best year of my life. You are such a sweet girl. You are so smart. Here are some of the things you are doing these days:

-You are not only walking, but practically running these days!

-You LOVE your birthday presents. You have had the best time playing with them the last few days.

-You are still a good eater. You are beginning to show your preferences though. You LOVE chicken, especially quesadillas (we took you to have one last night for your birthday), macaroni & cheese, green peas, green beans, cheerios, yogurt, strawberries, ice cream, graham crackers...

-You finally like whole milk! We had to put a tiny drop of chocolate syrup in your cup for a couple of weeks but now we don't anymore.

-You actually drank a cup of water with your dinner last night!

-You usually go to bed between 7-7:30 and wake up at 7. (I wish I could get you to stay up later so that Daddy could see you more) You take a nap from 8:30-9:30 or 10 and then again in the afternoon from around 12:30-2:30. Sometimes you will take a late afternoon nap too. You sleep A LOT! I'm ready for you to drop one of your naps so we can actually leave the house! :)

-You hardly ever cry. Seriously. I have never been around a baby you fusses as little as you. In fact, when we went to the beach with your Armstrong cousins in April, your Uncle Kyle noted on the 2nd that that he still hadn't heard you cry!!

-You will cry when your food runs out though!

-You don't go to the doctor for your check-up until next week but based on home scales you weigh 23 lbs. Maybe 24 now, we weighed you before your birthday festivities!!

-You have had a couple of trips to the beach (unfortunately not more b/c of the dreadful oil spill), lots of visits to the lake, been to Auburn basketball and baseball games and to A-day. We didn't take you to a football game last year and are trying to figure out which game you can go to this year.

-You LOVE dogs, really all animals.

-We have been so fortunate-you have NEVER BEEN SICK! We've never had to go to the doctor except for your check-ups. You had your first diaper rash at the end of last week.

-You still love Praise Baby. We don't watch it as much as we used to (just b/c I don't turn it on) but yesterday you melted my heart when you brought me the DVD all on your own (how did you know which one it was?) and sat in my lap to watch it! You have never been one to let me or your daddy hold you.

-In the past couple of weeks we have finally been successful at getting you to sleep with us! You still don't snuggle up with us but we've at least been able to get you to go to sleep in our bed. Baby steps. :)

-You still only have 2 teeth. I wanted to get rid of your paci at 12 months but since you still have so many more teeth to come I think we will let you keep it a little longer to help you get through some of them.

-You love the water. You love baths and swimming...in the pool or the lake, not your little baby pool in the back yard. You get bored with it in .2 seconds.

-You have really begun to love books. You bring them to me all day long to read to you.

I know this has been really long but I really wanted you to know what all you have learned and done in your first year. I know there is so much more but these are just some of the things that just came to mind. You are the most amazing little being that I have ever know. I love you more than life itself. I cannot believe that God chose me to be your mommy. I am so lucky. I can't wait to watch you grow up. I know that you will continue to amaze me.

Less than a day old. Look at all of that hair!

First week at home, nap time with Mollie

Here is a picture of the billboard of you!

First time to Pop's

5 1/2 months

Your dedication at church in February

And here you are on your birthday!!! "I'm one!"

**I'm missing a lot of pictures that are on the old computer. It finally died. I plan to take it to recover the files at some point.