What a difference a year makes.

Dear Abigail,
One year ago today, our world began to change in ways we never could have imagined. One year ago today, I naively took a pregnancy test figuring it would be yet another month of heartbreaking negatives. I had more or less given up hope that you would find your way to us. So much so, in fact, that I went on a nice long bike ride with your daddy that day and drank FAR too much delicious iced coffee. But then... when I expected it the least... the screen on the digital test flashed "pregnant." At this point, most people would have found something poignant and emotional to say. Your momma, however, was so shocked that she yelled out "holy crap (but in different words)!" and looked at your daddy with wild-eyed surprise. Apparently I'd forgotten to tell your daddy that I had taken a test, because he looked at me like I was insane. Two minutes, an entire bottle of water, and another test later we had the same answer and sense of complete bewilderment.

One year later and you are a beautiful, active, intelligent and amazing four month old. You are a real person, complete with likes (i.e. your pink stuffed elephant and daddy ) and dislikes (i.e. being hungry and tummy time). I could never really comprehend that I was actually pregnant with you, even as my belly got giant and I got more miserable. But now that you're here, I can't even begin to wrap my brain around this situation. We're parents... and you are a product of us. You look strikingly similar to your daddy, but you have your momma's tongue, feet, and temper. By and large, you are a very easy going baby who takes so well to change and chaos. (Stick with that, by the way, because we're a military family!)

Who knows what the next year will hold, Abigail, but I look forward to seeing you grow and change throughout it. I anticipate you becoming your own person, learning new things, and continuing to charm room fulls of people on a regular basis.

Momma loves you, Abby. I am so blessed to be your mother and so grateful to have you in my life.

Love,
Momma