Madelyn's a year.

365 days ago today I was laying in recovery cherishing each moment with my healthy, full of life, full term, even chubby newborn.  It had been 9 full months of fighting to get to that moment and as exhausted as I was, my heart felt love in another new way.  My spirit felt renewed and I thanked God for the blessing we had just been given.  Yes 12 months ago this morning.  It seems like yesterday. 

Waking up this morning to our happy, loving and "big" as everyone tells me Madelyn, my heart felt similar to how it did that morning a year ago.  My spirit remains renewed, I am thankful to God for the life he has blessed me and my heart feels love in another new way.

In the past 12 months Madelyn has enriched our lives in ways I could never have imaged and even more fully than I hoped.  Madelyn's siblings LOVE her, smother her in hugs and kisses to the point we have had to ask them to give her a little space.  And Daddy and I are pretty smitten with her too.  Other than being a little stinker when it comes to sleeping in her bed, we caved around month 10 and just put her in bed with us a couple of nights and now there's no going back from the slippery slope, Madelyn is a WONDERFUL baby.  She is super easy going, smiles more than she ever frowns, is a good eater (hence the reason why everyone tells me she's big) and she's smart.  She says many words, including "Momma, Daddy,  Meme- Mommy hold me, Jack, This (for something she wants and points to, Jack, and when we ask her if she wants to brush her teeth, she opens her mouth and says, "ahhhhhh"  

She loves to dance, waves bye bye and signs "all done" when she finished eating.  Her favorite foods are toast, strawberries, blue berries, spaghetti, mac-n-cheese, yogurt and sweet potatoes.  

Her favorite toys are cars to race, her Cabbage Patch baby she carries around and blocks, which she dumps out and then puts back in.  She likes to play with books and laughs everytime Mickey Mouse Club House comes on the TV.

My favorite this she does now is give kisses.  She kisses open mouth kisses and its so sweet.  She also learned that when we pray at dinner and bedtime she should fold her hands.  She joins in now and after we pray she claps to cheer that she did something exciting.  

Yes, at 12 months I can hardly believe she's doing all these things and more.  I can't believe a year ago today I laid in that hospital bed, wiped out, but still so excited, happy and full of love.  Man that was one incredible day.  And as wonderful as that day was, I sit here today and give thanks for each day I've been blessed enough to be her mom and have her in my arms each night.  I still do not take that part for granted.  

Here is a quick look back at some of Madelyn's pictures from the past 12 months.... This is just a start of her bday posts.  So many pictures to put in just one post.

May 2016- Newborn

Newborn- 6 days old

June 2016- 1 MONTH

July 2016- 2 MONTHS

2 months

2.5 months.... who does she look like?  Mommy or Daddy?

2.5 months

August 2016- 3 MONTHS

3 months

Love those toes!

September 2016- 4 MONTHS

Getting ready for Noah's Kindness Project

On our way to the doctors office?

College Football Season!

OCTOBER 2016- 5 MONTHS

Growing just a bit!

Loved by her siblings!

Her brother Noah's bear is getting pretty small in comparison to her!

Fun to see who she looks more alike?

NOVEMBER 2016- 6 MONTHS

One of her favorite faces!

DECEMBER 2016- 7 MONTHS

JANUARY 2017- 8 MONTHS

FEBRUARY 2017- 9 MONTHS

MARCH 2017- 10 MONTHS

11 MONTHS- APRIL 2017

MAY 2012- 12 MONTHS

Madelyn we hope you had a nice birthday, although as low key as low key can be.  We hope you know just how much you are loved, how deeply you are cared for and for how grateful we are to have you in our lives.

Madelyn, 365 days ago you came into this world and started the process of rebuilding our lives in a way we didn't know how to do with out you.  This past year has been incredible and we love you more than you'll ever know.  Happy birthday my darling. Being your mommy for this past year has been such a gift.  Happy birthday baby, happy birthday.  Love you always, Mommy and Daddy.

Until next time

Angie

A year ago this afternoon...

A year ago on this Friday afternoon (it was the 20th not the 19th), at this moment I was loading our suitcases in the back of Jarrett's car as my mom gave him a quick haircut.  We were due to be at the hospital in less than 30 minutes and it was the perfect time to get a haircut right (NOT REALLY).  The day we had prayed for, for more than 9 months had finally arrived.  Our due date and we were beyond excited to meet our baby sweetie pie.

It was an afternoon filled with excitement:

• Me locking both sets of car keys in Jarrett's car- the car filled with all of our hospital stuff 15 minutes before we were supposed to be at the hospital
• Us reinstating our OnStar subscription so we could get our car unlocked
• the kids excited to spend time with grandparents but still a bit nervous about us going to the hospital (again)
• Getting to the hospital, getting all hooked up and seeing Kristal's face appear 4 hours early so she could be with us through our entire labor.

• The surprise visitor from one of my other favorite nurses and friends, Bilha.  I cheerleader, and encourager in the middle of the night.  She was there with us and Noah and was a Godsend.  That night and still she continues to be.  

• Our parents patiently waiting all night for our Sweetie Pie to arrive.
• Some pretty intense moments in the delivery room and some great reflections on life between a couple whose been together for a LONG time!
  
  

Yes it was a day I'll always remember and cherish,  and now looking back a year later, I never thought I'd say it but I miss being pregnant too. I so miss feeling Madelyn move around inside me.  I miss being able to feel her kick, roll and even punch.  Looking back now, I know that fear controlled me for so much of the pregnancy, it took away from the moments I had to purely enjoy each moment.  I'm so glad I recorded each week, reading the posts from a year ago, makes it all come back and at least I'll have that right.  

As I sit here today with Madelyn literally laying on my stomach trying to find a comfortable place to take a nap, As wonderful as pregnancy was, the goal we hoped, prayed and longed for all along is here, sitting on my lap trying to sleep.  Yes the baby I prayed I'd get to take home has grown from a newborn, to a toddler it seems in the blink of an eye.  I can hardly believe in less than 2 days our Sweetie Pie will be one. 

This past year has been such a joy, she has filled our lives with so much love, restored our faith and shown us great great happiness.  

Ah yes, a year ago today I posted this blog... "It's baby time" .  Getting to experience labor, although VERY PAINFUL and exhausting was one of the greatest days of my life.  For it resulted in the birth of our precious Madelyn. 

Our first moment... "Hi mom" with the wave of her hand.

The past 365 days have been a wild ride, our lives are crazy with a capital C, but I'm sure happy and thankful I get to live it.

A year ago today, I took this picture..

Just this past Sunday on Mother's Day, Dad took this picture of us...

Grateful.

Until next time,

Angie