Dear Vienna,

A year ago today I met you for the first time. I will never forget it. I will never forget your birth, grabbing you and holding you to my chest for the first time. Your first moments of life where there, in my embrace, right where you belonged. I had waited so long to meet you and I couldn't even describe how happy I felt or how much love I instantly had for you. You were beautiful. You were perfect.

I had been up for 24+ hours, from start to finish labored naturally for 9 hours through the night and delivered you in water at 7:22 in the morning. I was exhausted, but I couldn't sleep a wink all day...I couldn't stop staring at you. I couldn't stop cuddling you, you were finally here and I was so incredibly in love.

I will never forget the way you fit perfectly in my arms. I will never forget your baby smell, your soft skin, or the way your lips fell open slightly while you slept. We had some long days and some even longer nights, but I wouldn't trade a single moment with you for anything. I would stare at you at night when I got up to feed you and think about how lucky I was to have you in my life. I am so thankful for you and will be eternally grateful for the privilege of being your mother.

I have loved watching you grow this first year of your life, all of your first moments and things you've conquered. I will always remember the way that you crawled with your one leg straight like you were ready to stand up and start walking, or that day when you took your first steps. I won't forget your little dance moves and how much you loved music. Or how you use to stick all of your fingers in your mouth, or how you'd laugh when you'd look at yourself in the mirror. I'll always remember when you first learned how to give kisses, when you became attached to your blankie and when you learned to say "Mama" for the first time. One of my most favorite things was to see how excited you got whenever you learned to do something new, I am so proud of you.

You are such a sweet girl, so happy and so expressive. I love that about you; how your smile is so contagious and how you light up when you're happy or excited about something. You are beautiful and so full of life and I cannot even begin to describe how much love I have for you in my heart. You are my baby girl, my miracle baby...my love.

Happy Birthday.

Love,

Mommy