to Eva on your first birthday,

Sweet baby girl,

You are a dream.  When I became pregnant the fourth time around, we assumed we were going to have a fourth boy.  When I was told you were a girl, my heart leapt.  I believe I asked a hundred times, "Are you sure?  Are you really sure it's not a boy?"  I was over the moon, a little bit nervous, and had absolutely no idea what to expect.  I knew how to be a boy mom.  I mean, I kinda had it down at that point.  From the beginning I told your brothers, "It will probably be a boy."  They all desperately wanted a sister, so I didn't want them to be disappointed.  Once we finally believed you actually were a girl, we began preparing your room, picked out your name, and not so patiently waited.

I, of course, went crazy with all things pink.  Your closet was overflowing and you were destined to be the best dressed baby girl in all the land.  Let's not even start with how many bows I may or may not have bought.  It's okay... no one has to know.  But in all the preparation, what I could not have prepared myself for was you.  Your person.  I didn't know I needed you, but God did.  You filled a piece of my heart that I didn't know was missing.  Even now, I cannot quite articulate it... but, I just feel like I get you.  Like you're my little best friend.  

If there's one thing that's true, little girl - it's that you have us all wrapped around your tiny little fingers.  You bring so much joy to each of us and are the perfect completion to our family.  You have the sweetest little spirit about you.  You are often quiet and contemplative, yet also have your moments where you endlessly "talk", dance, and laugh at everything your brothers do.  You are the sweetest, easiest, calmest baby around.  Seriously.  A dream.  

You melted me the second I laid eyes on you - all five pounds of you.  I remember thinking you were so. very. tiny.  You just seemed so delicate.  I look at you now and cannot believe how quickly you've grown and how fast the year as gone.  It has been a blink.  And yet, I fall more and more in love with your personality by the moment.  You are coming into your own and learning new things each day.  Your gibber jabber is the cutest thing ever, you have a grin that lights up the room, and your laugh absolutely melts me.  My favorite thing is watching you and your brothers together.  

You love to eat.  I haven't given you a single thing yet that you haven't liked.  Well, except an antibiotic that made you gag, yet you still so sweetly choked down.  I'm convinced any other baby would've spit it out.  Your favorite time of the day is your bath and you often ask for it after dinner.  If I am in the shower, you try to climb on in, "bath? bath?".  You love crawling around and pulling up on anything and everything you can find.  I think you'll be an earlier walker than your brothers.  You say quite a few words, including: "mama, dada, bubba, papaw, mamaw, pappy, hi, hey, oh, uh oh, bath, bye bye, baby" and we are also convinced you have said "eva".  You are such a little snuggler and will often sit in my lap for hours.  You love to play, but always like to keep me in sight.  You adore playing with your big brothers and have such a sweet relationship with each one.  

 You are such a gift, sweet Eva, and I am so thankful that God chose you to be our girl.  The past three hundred and sixty five days have been beyond my wildest dreams.  I love you more than I could ever say.  Your name means "life" and that is exactly what you have brought us - so much life, so much joy, so much love.  You are loved beyond measure.  I pray you will always know how much you are loved, not only by us, but by God.  I pray you come to know Him personally and intimately.  I am thankful for your sweet life and look forward to so many precious days to come.  I cannot wait to see all that God has in store for you.

 All my heart, 

 Mommy


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