To my beautiful daughter,
Two years ago I was eagerly anticipating your arrival into this world. I was 6 days overdue, super uncomfortable, and so ready to meet this little person that had been growing inside me for the past 9+ months. If I’m honest, I was experiencing equal parts excitement and fear and trepidation. I was beyond thrilled to finally be a mommy, but I was also extremely scared of all the changes that were about to happen and if I would be able to handle them.
On February 19th around midnight I began to realize that today would be the day that I would finally get to meet you. After an eleven hour labor, I was finally able to hold you in my arms and I found that all those fears melted away at my first glimpse of you. You were perfect and I immediately felt an instantaneous and overwhelming love unlike anything I have ever experienced before. It was at that moment that I truly felt that I had become a mother as an overwhelming desire to protect, love, and sacrifice all for you came rushing over me.
Those first few weeks were a mix of beautiful moments of bonding with you, moments of complete despair as I felt like I had no clue what I was doing, and moments of emotional distress due to lack of sleep and intense hormonal changes, but we both continued to adjust to each other and worked our way into normal routines and daily rhythms.
Everyone told me that time would fly by and that you would grow at a “blink and you’ll miss it” rate. I believed them, but I must say that it has been more true that I could possibly imagine. It feels like just yesterday they were placing you in my arms for the first time, and yet here you are growing more independent by the day. I feel such a mix of emotions when I hear you jabbering away, watch you coloring at your table, dressing yourself, or conquering a new task. I feel so proud of all that you are becoming, and yet I grieve the days and milestones that have flown by too quickly.
When your daddy and I were picking out your name, we wanted names with beautiful meanings that would hopefully be a reflection of your character. Eleanora means “shining light” and Ruth means “friend or companion”, and I must say that both of these are found so beautifully in your personality and temperament. You truly are a shining light as you can light up a room with your smile.
You LOVE people and can seem to break through the toughest exterior of a person with one giant, eye-squinting smile. You love to give hugs and kisses and the first thing you do when you meet a new friend is offer to share something with them. This truly melts my momma-heart. Don’t get me wrong, you are definitely a typical toddler struggling to learn how to control your emotions and frustrations, but you are also an amazing and undeserved blessing that has been placed in our lives and we cannot imagine our lives without you.
I love you so much and I hope and pray that even in the midst of my imperfections as a mother you will always be able to feel my deep and abiding love for you.
Happy birthday sweet girl!
Love,
Mommy
Thanks Heather! Yes birthdays definitely are different when you are a mom 🙂
So sweet and touching Nissa. Happy birthday to Nora! And to you! Birthdays are so different now that I am a mom. I wrote ruby a letter when she was born, sort of a rated g version of her birth story.