Dear Lily,

One year ago yesterday, I found out I was pregnant with you. I can't believe it has been a year already. Your dad and I wanted you so badly but knew we might have to be patient. Little did we know we would be so fortunate, so quickly!

Just like my letters to you in the past, this may be more information than you care to know about your mom and you, but I love remembering. Since it's still fresh in my mind, I want to document it in case you ever ask about it. If you're anything like me, you will be nosy and want to know everything about your childhood! This will be a letter for you to read when you're older, maybe even when you get married and decide you want to have a child.

I remember it like it was yesterday...
It was a Tuesday and I had been feeling a little weird for about a week. My body was just not itself. I decided to just take a pregnancy test but I was thinking that certainly couldn't be what I was feeling. It just seemed too early.

Your dad was at the grocery store so I was just home, working in my office, when I decided to take the test. I left the test in the bathroom for quite a while, not paying a whole lot of attention, expecting it to be negative. When I went back in to check it, sure enough there were two faint lines! I remember laughing for several minutes, telling Bear that I was pregnant, trying to call your dad who had a bad habit of never answering his cell phone and finally, tears of happiness and a phone call to your grandma, who was the very first person to find out the news. I don't remember much of my conversation with her but I do know there was a lot of giggling and "Oh.My.God."'s said.

Your dad finally got home, about 10 minutes later, and I met him in the driveway with the news. We were both so excited but also in disbelief that we had been so fortunate so quickly. It was amazing and one of the happiest days of my life.

I don't remember much else from that day, aside from the fact that I couldn't concentrate and I wanted to tell the whole world! Your dad was so excited that 10 days later, at our local wedding reception, he announced it to our 135 guests! We have that on video for you to watch someday.

My first doctor's appointment was on October 6, 2008. I was 6 weeks and 4 days pregnant. I saw you on the ultra sound screen, I saw your little heart beating. It was incredible. This is what you looked like then, the size of a grain of rice:

And now, here we are, a year later. You're 4 months old already, 14lbs 10oz and about 25inches tall:

You are such a personality now. Here is what you're up to these days:

• You are grasping things, in your beautiful little hands, just to put everything in your mouth.
• You love shiny objects.
  
• You are "talking" all of the time, communicating with us.
• You are loving the books we read to you and Baby Einstein videos that I play for you on the computer once in awhile.
• You rolled over about 2 weeks ago from your back to your belly.
• You are laughing, a big hearty laugh, which started about 4 weeks ago.
• You LOVE being social and going everywhere we do, especially the beach which is a new found love for you.
• You love cat napping in your dad's spot on the couch, all curled up on his pillows.
• You are responding to everything we do and try to mimic our facial expressions and sounds often.
• You love those little blankets with the stuffed animals attached (I know there's a name for them!).
• You love everything musical.

You're getting more and more amazing everyday. Right now, you're sitting on my lap watching me type with such curiosity and fascination. It's so much fun to watch you.

I love you more than words can say.
Love,
Mommy