Playing it By Ear: Cel-e-brate Good Times, C'mon.

After much talk of how far off Leila's first birthday seemed, it is here. Well, I guess we are still a few days away from the real birthday, but the celebration was this weekend and what a bag of mixed feelings I am carrying around.

I'm sure that if you have been following this blog for the past year, you get that I'm beyond in love with my Leila and that I always describe each milestone with excitement and a little sadness at how fast each phase goes by. Well, this celebration is no different. Here I am so filled with a love and joy I couldn't have imagined before Leila. Sometimes I feel like I'm being too dramatic when I describe the change that has occurred over the past year, but then it has been a huge change. Not just in the ways I thought it would be though.

I pictured life changing because we were unable to live life the way we used to...not a lot of going out, very few movies, and listening to more Raffi than I'd ever hoped. But, these things, these are just small things compared to the real way in which our lives have changed. I still enjoy time away from being a mom, but the real change is that I don't care about anything that I give up because of Leila. Loving her has made me a better person, a more patient person. It has reminded me of what fun the simple things in life can be...like picnics in the park, blowing bubbles, and running through a sprinkler. I knew that it would be amazing to live life through Leila's eyes, but it is more than amazing. And even though there is a bit of sadness in Leila getting older, there is also such excitement for what is ahead this next year!

I am celebrating this upcoming birthday not only because Leila has developed from a tiny, 6 lb 12oz, eating, sleeping, pooping baby, into an adorable, smiley, fun-loving, determined, brilliant toddler...but I'm also celebrating Matt and I, and the year we have experienced together. Ups, downs, and in between, we have become a true family...the three of us. That is all we need.

So, without getting too mushy and all, I just want to say, thank you for following me on this journey so far. It has been one heck of a year...the most memorable of my life. I am bursting with love, accomplishment, and pure joy as we close the chapter on year one of parenthood.

One year ago, this weekend: