65 Incredible Moments from 365 Amazing Days...

Brace yourself. There are indeed 65 photos below.

However, if you've stuck with me in this blog of reminiscing and quasi-journaling through year one of our first child's life, an explosion of pictures should come as no surprise for a post that's looking back on that 1st year! Actually, I initially wanted to include just two pictures from each month, but after going through the first few weeks alone, I gave up on that...  Some months were easier than others to only include a couple of pictures (one candid, one "photo shoot"), but other months were just too filled with family visits, playdates with friends, and too-sweet-to-pass-up expressions that I went ahead and allowed the camera-happiness to take over.

I'll let the pictures speak over my usual wordiness, but I'm including little snippets here and there from letters I've written to Maelee.  My original goal was to write a letter each month, but it was more like every-other-month and in some cases ended up being one letter over three months... Sigh.

You'll have to pardon the cheesiness and syrupy mushiness- our hope is that someday (like when they're teenagers) our children (I'm using the plural as some wishful but hopeful thinking that we'll continue this trend!) can look back on these little love letters from their parents and maybe realize we're not quite as terrible as they think and we really do only want the best for them. :) 

So here goes...

1st Month

 

 

With visits from her Uncle Daniel who lives in Japan, her Nana & Pop-Pop from VA, her Aunt Kim from NJ and countless friends from NYC, as well as a trip down to DE to meet her Too-dad and "Nana-Nart" and more family, with a couple trips out to Stony Brook, Long Island (including the trip to see her mommy's graduation!), the 1st month was a big one!!!  A little peak into our hearts right after she was born that we quickly jotted down in our "baby journal:"

She amazes us.  Seeing her for the first time and knowing she was ours was an incredible feeling.  She's so sweet to hold, and we've never seen something more beautiful.

2nd Month

The 2nd Month was a bit more low-key and we just enjoyed getting to know this sweet girl. We still got to take a quick trip down to VA where mommy & daddy had a night away for their 7th wedding anniversary while Maelee stayed w/ Nana & Pop-Pop and we even saw Too-dad and Mary Catherine in the visit!  Our little baby really was such a joy in those early weeks and months that we were completely taken by surprise- yes, we were somewhat expecting a little terror who cried all night...  We would've loved her just the same, but we were beyond grateful.  Here's a little excerpt from a letter written just after that 2 month mark:

We certainly don’t deserve you but pray every night that He will guide us in loving you and nurturing you better.  We would do anything for your good and are so in love with you.  We hope in some way that you know that even now, at just 2 months. 

3rd Month

4th Month

Highlights from the 3rd and 4th month were meeting her Mee-Maw and Grandpa Mason for the first time and enjoying a quick visit from her Nana & Pop-Pop and Too-dad & Nana-Nart.  After her 4th Month, I reflected again on that powerful love a parent has for their child...

Sometimes I’ll just say that I love you “beyond beyond.”  It’s the only way I can think of to describe it- to think beyond something, then beyond even that!  You’ll only understand it once you have your own child someday.  It is truly inexplicable but we are so thankful to God for giving us the capacity to love!!!

5th Month

6th Month

The 5th and 6th months were again filled with sweet visits from family and also included our move so it was definitely a busy time.  A special moment during that period was having Maelee dedicated at our NYC home, Apostles Church.  Here's the verse we picked out for her:

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Rom 8:38-39

7th Month

8th Month

9th Month

The end of year 2010 was filled with all that the holidays bring including a trip to North Carolina to spend Thanksgiving with Mee-Maw and Grandpa Mason and Christmas in VA and DE with Nana & Pop-Pop (and the special treat of seeing Uncle Daniel again!), and Too-dad and Nana Nart plus cousins, aunts & uncles, and even her 2nd cousin, Caleb!  It was a special time.  Her personality really started coming through during the 2nd half of her first year and we loved the giggles.  Here's a little blurb from a letter written during that phase:

“Tritty-trot” often gets the sweetest giggles out of you as you arch backwards and mommy gives you blow kisses on your tummy while tickling your neck.  You just have the sweetest personality and we are SO very thankful for you.  We truly do love all that you will be and everything you are!

10th Month

More fun with friends and family during the last part of year one and as Valentine's Day fell during Maelee's 10th month, that letter included just some particularly fun and quirky little things that we loved about our sweetie so here's a blurb from that:

We continue to love our special time with you at night just before putting you to bed when you get all giddy and kinda hyper and it cracks me up how you really started to stare and almost analyze the little green “toothbrush” that fits on mommy’s finger to clean your teeth and gums.

I know, random...

11th Month

12th Month

The last two months of year one were pretty filled with fun times with both sides of family, including a very special trip to IN to meet Maelee's "Grandpa Great" (Steve's grandpa), as well as time with good friends of ours and good friends of Maelee's.  We are so thankful for the number of tots born around the same time as Maelee, both in NYC and closer to Becky's family with her lifelong, childhood friend Cindy's little girl, Alli!  We can't wait to watch them all grow up together.  It's been such a wonderful year.  And here we are, just a day from completing the 1st month of year TWO!!!  Crazy.  So I'll end with the closing paragraph from the most recent, 12th month letter:

It really has just been a very sweet year with you and we love you so beyond words.  Each day is something new and you are more and more fun, with more and more communicating going on.  We truly praise God for you every day and still can’t understand how we’ve been blessed so deeply.  What a gift you are.  We love you sweet Maelee-Mae!