Happy Birthday Natalie!

Last night I went to sleep the mother of a two year-old. This morning I woke up the mother of a three year-old. Your name means "Christmas Day" and you are surely a gift from God. Happy Birthday Natalie!  You are my heart and soul. I want to tell you how much I love you. But trust me, no words would be good enough to express just how much you mean to me and how much you are loved.

I look at you each night and watch the little outside corners of your mouth turned down, as they did when you were an infant. Your sweet rosy cheeks and those beautiful long lashes look just the way they did when you would sleep in my arms back in those early months. I miss those beautiful days. Our whole world was in our little home, just you and me. Dad would go to work and big brother would head off to middle school, and the two of us would sit quietly and study each other. I thought that I was only studying you, but now I realize you were studying me, too. It was in those days that we began our mother/daughter relationship, our bond. I learned all your facial expressions, every wrinkle and those dimples! I watched your eyes come into focus, your mouth start to make sweet little sounds, and watched as your ears learned to listen {sign} I took it all in. I waited for your first word, I wanted to know what your voice would sound like, to better understand your thoughts and feelings.  But I also relished in the quiet peace of just you and me. You make life so beautiful and full and complete.There is so much I admire about you. Growing up with challenges of communication and the inability to say all that you want or need to say is not an easy task, so I respect and admire your deep desire to fight hard every day, to try to say what you mean and for using your best tool: self-motivation. I’m not sure I’d find the strength that you display each day as you work to become a more able person. I can only admire your greatness. 

Thank you for being my daughter and for reminding me what life is all about, for helping me stop and enjoy all the moments.  I love you more than I could ever put into words and I am thankful for the miracle of you in my life.

Happy 3rd Birthday my sweet girl.

 You make me whole in so many ways.

With Love,

Mom