sweet ingrid.

Dear Sweetgirl,
It is quiet in our house. In a few hours, your grandparents and aunties and uncles will be here to celebrate YOU. But for now, the house is empty except for you and me. You are napping (no doubt going crazy sucking those 2 chubby fingers) and I have been cleaning and prepping food and doing all of those things that I do when there is a party, like texting your dad last minute things to pick up at the store while he entertains your big brother and sister and blogging.

Here are some things you should know about yourself at age 1: you will eat anything, you do not appreciate having your diaper changed (and honestly, you should, just saying), you are a fantastic sleeper, you crawl everywhere, you say dadadada, mamamamama and bubbiebubbie, you have bunch of teeth (10 maybe? I don't really like to stick my fingers in babies' mouths and I think babies should appreciate that about me) and you love to be outside.

I'm sure that list is similar to lists that many moms could make but the difference for me is that you are mine. Your sister's first year went so slow. Your first year has flown by. I still remember that first morning, when the doctor placed you on my chest, naked, hairy and to quote your sister "looking like a boy." I couldn't believe that birth. Couldn't believe what we were able to do. You and me. A baby is no less magical because she is third. A third baby has her own magic because everyone around her knows how fast it's going to go.

I have a picture of another baby girl in that same hat on those same swings.

And now she pumps her own legs. Someday soon, you will too.

I love you, Hunca Munca, Fat Fatty, Coo-Coo Caroline, Ru*

Love,
Mama

nicknames courtesy of the big brother and sister