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Dear Isabella,
This is your last week in the apartment you've known as home since before you were born. It's an exciting and a scary time. Packing is going slowly, but you sure do keep us from getting as much done as we could. It's an interesting time around here and you do a great job of keeping us laughing and trying to keep calm with all the nervous excitement.
It's a scary time because everything is all new. Mommy hasn't moved since Daddy and I moved into this apartment almost 7 years ago. It's not an easy thing to pack everything up. It's especially hard when all I want to do is play with you and keep you from getting upset. I'm sure you've noticed the boxes, but I'm thankful that you are so little still. You don't really understand what is going on. And that's a good thing. You just watch us hustle around trying to get things done and sometimes, you laugh at us because you think it's so funny.
This certainly is a very exciting thing, moving into a bigger home. You're almost guaranteed to have your own bedroom. You have your own bedroom now and certainly will at the new home, at least for now. But we'll see if that stays that way when Mommy and Daddy decide it's time for a bigger family. But you've got time to enjoy your new home and your new room without anyone bothering you.
Five more days, Isabella, and then we'll be moving all of our things into our new home. We can start a full life with a REAL home for you, our little princess. We want to give you every little thing we can. This is a big dream we had, to give our baby girl a nice, new, big home where you could dream, play, imagine, and create new things. I'm excited to see you grow up in it!
Love,
Mommy
My Dearest Isabella,
You are quickly approaching seven months. So much has changed and continues to change every single day. I'm just in awe of how God has created such a beautiful child and allowed me to raise her (you). I'm certainly blessed richly because I have you as a part of my life. I watch all the new things that you do, like play with my hair, reach for your Daddy to pick you up, giggle for minutes at a time, and stalk the dog. I am just amazed with all the changes that happen daily. My love for you grows stronger every single day. I never knew I could open my heart to love someone so deeply, so richly, and so unconditionally. You cry yet I never get mad at you for it. You get mad at something we do yet we just let you get mad and try to soothe you.
Right now, you are fast asleep in your swing. You had your six month shots yesterday (yes, Daddy and I are a few weeks behind with your well baby checkups, but because of the shots, we can't make them an earlier than they end up being). You've been so sleepy from your shots. But I could watch you sleep all night. I love the peaceful look on your face and the way you can just lay there in the swing and not be disturbed by all the noises around.
My cuddles and snuggles with you are getting even better than they ever were. I didn't think there could be anything better than holding a newborn. And then you were a month old and I didn't think it could get any better. But very month, all my experiences with you have surpassed any expectations or dreams I had. You are just amazing in every way!
I can't wait to see what is in store in the months and years down the road. But for right now, I'll just watch you sleep, wonder what you're dreaming about, and love you in every way I know how.
Love,
Mom
Dear Isabella,
It's so hard to believe that six months has already come upon us. So much has changed and continues to change as time goes on. You are doing so many exciting things now. It still seems like mere hours ago that you entered my world, changed me forever. I don't remember life without you. It's as though you have always been with me, always been a part of me. I think in some ways, you always were a part of me. You were my dream, my wish, my prayer. And for six months now, you have been my answered prayer, my dream and wish come true! It's so hard to believe that you are already six months old. Time flies too quickly. There are days where I just wish I could stop time, soak in every moment, absorb it like a sponge. But time marches on and so does your growth. It's just amazing to watch you, to see all that you do that's new each day.
Tonight, you're sleeping soundly in your big girl crib for the first time. Of course, Mommy is nervous about it and in some ways, sad. It means you're growing up already, growing up to the point of not needing to be in the same room as me all night long. You've been sleeping through the night since October, but in some ways, it feels like I'm not as needed as I was before. Not the truth, but it's just a Mommy moment.
Well, my love, it seems I spoke too soon and you are now awake and nursing again. So I must go and start bedtime again with you.
Love,
Mom
Dear Isabella,
You bring me so much joy every day. No words can quite describe the blessing God has given me by letting me be your Mom. You do so many exciting things these days. I love to listen to you chat away with your toys, the ceiling, and the dog. You put so many smiles on my face. I just love every moment I get to spend with you.
We dedicated you to the Lord in church this past Sunday. And although at your age of almost 6 months, you have no idea what even happened, some day you will. We vowed to raise you in a Christian home, where we teach you about God, encourage you to serve others, and allow you to have a personal relationship with Jesus. It was an exciting moment for your Daddy and me. It reminded me of how much I went through in order to conceive you. Pastor Mark made mention of a lot of things, including how we really had almost given up hope in conceiving a child but God had your time planned out already.
Isabella Joy, you are my joy. I am more beautiful because of you. Before you, I had self esteem issues. I disliked a lot of things about myself. I didn't want to look in the mirror too often. I just felt like an ugly duckling. Something about motherhood changed all of that. You make me beautiful. You make me smile more, dance more, and give me an overabundance of joy in my heart. I love you beyond words, beyond description. The only way I can describe it is that I love you like flowers love the rain and sunshine, like sequins love the Mummers, and like peanut butter loves jelly. We just go together, you and I. You are my joy!
Love,
Mom
Dear Isabella,
We celebrated your first Christmas a few days ago. What a magical time for our little family! Your dad and I have waited for this day for so long. We had two Christmases that came and went without any hopes of you. Last year, we were expecting you. So this year, we were able to hold you in our arms, spoil you, delight in you. You are such a joy!
This year, you were able to celebrate the day with Mommy, Daddy, Mom-Mom, Poppy, Aunt Amy, Aunt Dana, Uncle Perry, your cousin Dylan, Mr. Jay, and Mr. Bob. It was a special day. Everyone wanted to hold you, play with you, and love on you. Even Dylan wanted to play with you. Next year, if Dylan makes it up to visit, you'll be able to play with him. It was tough this year for him to play with you. But it was so much fun watching him try!
You are the best gift anyone could ask for this Christmas. The smile you put on our faces is priceless. There have been so many exciting things we've done with you this season! You worked the church Nativity with Mommy. I work as a hostess every year greeting the thousands of people who come to walk through our Living Nativity. This year, I strapped you in to the carrier and you helped me! It was awesome. We also took you to see Santa. The most awesome part is that Santa was at the farm and the pictures were free as long as we brought our own camera! Such a priceless picture. You attended your first Christmas Eve service at Mom-Mom and Poppy's church. And then, on Christmas morning, we took you with us to The Evergreens where Mommy and Daddy play the music for the church service every year. It's important to us that you grow up realizing that Christmas is not just a day for your own family, but a day to serve other families, as well.
Oh, Isabella, I'm just so in love with you! Christmas has come and gone this year and it was a very special time. Next year, you'll understand more about the birth of Jesus. When we read you your Christmas Eve book about the first Christmas and we let you listen to Mom-Mom and Poppy reading your other book about the first Christmas, you will be able to understand the true meaning of Christmas. Sure, presents are great. Family time is special. But the true meaning of Christmas is about a baby. A baby born in Bethlehem. A baby born and laid in a manger. A baby who would one day save the world. Next year, we'll be able to explain to you all about Jesus. You'll be able to set up a nativity scene with us and place Jesus in the manger. This Christmas was special, but next Christmas will be special, too!
Thank you for blessing us so much this Christmas. Thank you for the cuddles and the smiles on Christmas morning. I love you and my heart just overflows with the joy you give me each and every day.
Love,
Mom
Dear Isabella,
It is still so hard to believe that you have been with us for so long already. Time surely flies in the blink of an eye. It feels like just yesterday, I held you for the first time, kissed you for the first time on your rosy little cheeks, snuggled with you for the first time, and nursed for the first time. Yet, it's been almost 5 months already. And so much has changed!
Every day, you just amaze me. You're doing so many neat new things and watching you grow and develop before my own eyes is just such a delight. I could listen to your baby talk all day long. Your giggling makes my heart melt. You are just so delightful! You're always smiling, always happy, and always seeking something to entertain yourself. I think you're going to be my little adventure seeker before long.
So with Christmas coming, I just wanted to tell you some things I am looking forward to this year. I'm looking forward to letting you play with your stocking (and of course, the things in the stocking). I'm looking forward to you opening all of your presents. Mommy and Daddy are going to wrap them up and you get to help unwrap them all (just like you did with the present Uncle Nic and Aunt Malinda sent you). I'm looking forward to our first family picture with a baby by the Christmas tree at Mom-Mom and Poppy's house. Last year, it was Daddy and Mommy and you were in my belly but nobody could tell. So this year, we get to hold you for all to see. I'm looking forward to taking you to church for your first Christmas Eve service.
My darling baby, I love all the new adventures we are going on. I love watching all the new things you do. Each day is so wonderful spending it with you. There is nowhere else I want to be than wherever it is that you are. I love you very much and this Christmas will be so much more special because God has blessed us with you!
Love,
Mom
Dear Isabella,
We celebrated a wonderful Thanksgiving on Thursday this year. It was amazing to share it with you. Last year, it was on Thanksgiving that your daddy and I discovered that we were expecting you. It was an exciting day. But nothing is more exciting than sitting next to you at the dinner table. I am thankful for the blessings you have given us as a family. You came into our lives and gave us so much more to be thankful for. You make us all smile. You give us the blessing of being parents. Nothing compares to the love that fills your heart when you are a parent.
So, as we start another year with things to be thankful for, I already have a short list to start. I'm thankful for being able to decorate for Christmas with you in my arms. I'm thankful for all the changes you are enduring. You are growing so quickly! I'm thankful for the love your daddy constantly gives us both. From girl to girl, it's going to be hard sometimes for your daddy to have patience for us. But he's doing well so far!
I'm just so thankful that God has blessed us with you. You are no longer an idea. You are no longer a plus sign on a pregnancy test. You are no longer just a surge in hormones. You are real. You are a child. You are MY child. I can hold you, hug you, cuddle with you, kiss you, snuggle with you, tickle you, and love you. I can look at you, watch you as you smile, and listen to you as you giggle. God truly is great and has blessed us richly this year.
Love,
Mom
