Dear William,
You are turning one this week and I can scarcely believe it. This year has not exactly flown by – in fact, I have trouble remembering my life before you sometimes. But it is hard to believe I’m now the mom of a toddler. But it has been the best year of my life, and of your daddy’s life, and we are so proud of you.
It has been a joy raising you so far. I hope you are as happy as you have made us. You are such a stubborn, scrappy little boy. You want what you want when you want it, but at the same time you are so generous, getting pleasure out of sharing things with everyone. Your new favorite thing to do is hand people your toys with a smile.
You have such a wonderful curiosity, an interest in the world around you. Chasing you around is sometimes exhausting (and you’re not even walking yet!) but I love that you want to look at everything, touch everything, and of course taste everything. I hope you never lose that (well, I wouldn’t mind if you stopped putting everything in your mouth).
It has been so amazing watching you learn new things. I am now that woman who brags to people that her son learned how to put magnets on the fridge, or started grabbing his feet. I’m sure some people roll their eyes, like I did before you came around, but it’s thrilling when you do something for the first time. One of the best things about life is that you will always be learning and having new experiences. I can’t wait to watch it all.
It’s crazy that a year full of sleep deprivation and poopy diapers can be the best year of someone’s life. And the best part is that I know every year will be wonderful. That doesn’t mean we’re not going to have bad days, or even bad months, but the happiness you bring to this house and to your family will always win out, I know it.
I hope you know that you are so, so loved. Not just by me, and your dad, but by your grandparents, your aunt, your extended family, mommy and daddy’s friends. This world will not always treat you kindly, as you will learn, but I promise you that you will never be alone. You have so many people who adore you, and I hope you never forget that.
Thank you for letting me be your mom. I may not always do everything right, but I promise that I will always do my best for you. I love you, William.
Love, Mommy
