To Riya-Ray With Love On Your 1st Birthday

I cannot believe you are 1 today.  I just can’t accept it – my little baby is gone!!!!   The one who gives free kisses and cuddles.  The one that loves being chased.  The one who gets the most gorgeously funny frights and laughs afterwards!  The one that made me think that everything I thought I had learnt about being a mother was old news and it was time to “get with it”.

Just in these few months of life, you have jumped into your unique space in the family and have made it your own. I don’t know what our lives would be without you – our ever smiling baby.  No matter what you are going through, you nearly always break out that gorgeous gap-tooth smile which we all adore about you.

Your personality is becoming more evident everyday, your sweetness, willingness to share (not always, but sometimes you surprise me), your love for the outdoors, your friendliness and your actual physical strength (you can give a good whack when you try…  Ask Kyla and her poor head).

You are becoming a big girl who understands what we’re saying and can do cool things – like gasp with your hand to your mouth when the dogs bark or wave at the trains when you hear them.  Everyday you show me that you understand more and more – it’s amazing how inquisitive you are becoming.

Walking was a breeze for you and you started at just 10 months!  Because of this you have had your fair share of bumps and bruises as well as access to things you probably shouldn’t have.  You live life on the edge – always drawn to the most hazardous things you can find no matter where you are and despite the number of times you are removed from the situation, you will insist on going back over and over again.

You love to laugh, your favourite is to laugh when Kyla shouts “pop, pop, pop” when popping the bubbles or when we “accidentally” drop something in the bath while you are bathing.  You absolutely love to swing, and hum as you go back and forth.

I love your special personality and the way you react to things – especially because it’s in a way that I don’t usually expect.  I love that sometimes you would actually rather be with me and cling to me when someone wants to take you.  I love how you stroke my back when I put you to sleep.  I love the scrunchy nose, naughty smile you give when you’re about to do something crazy.  Most of all I love you for you!  I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life getting to know you better and better.  I love you my most precious Riya-Ray and I always will!!

Happiest of birthdays to you my sweet Ri-Ri!!

My darling baby girl.  I don’t know where to start with this. You have added so much to our lives it’s very difficult for me to pull out the highlights in a little post. You will probably never see me cry (I’m old fashioned like that) but I am already starting to tear up! I think as you go through life you never stop enough to appreciate what you have and have experienced. When I write these letters it really helps me to do that, and it is often an over whelming feeling. I fear that I am going to be extremely soppy in this one.

I think I’ll start from the beginning. We started our relationship in a very unique way. As your mother has written in ‘Riya-ray is here‘. You couldn’t wait for the Dr and crawled out all by yourself, nearly giving us a heart attack while I tried to save you from drowning. That theme has seemed to continue daily – you are very inquisitive and will try anything by yourself which usually ends with you hurting yourself or someone saving you. You have had a rough year of  learning what this world is about and what your body can do. You have experienced a lot of pain and sickness, yet you have always been a breeze to put to sleep, content when we had to see to Kyla, and can never go too long without a good laugh.   You are an extremely emotional person and will let everyone know exactly what you are feeling. With this said, you almost always smile when you see me, run to me for kisses and hugs and then show me something extremely interesting, like the dog walking past. This even happens when you are feeling your worst. It’s amazing that you can already put what you are feeling aside to express your love. It’s beautiful and I love it. I love that you always cuddle with your head on my chest. I love that you miss me when I’m very busy and only want me. I love that you are starting to play with Kyla and I can see you two growing closer and closer. I love that you hug and kiss me out of the blue. I LOVE YOU!!! My girl I don’t thank the Lord enough for you! It’s amazing that in one year you have grown to be such a big part of me, so much so that I would be broken without you. I look forward to getting to know you more and more, as you learn to talk and express yourself. Happy 1st Birthday my Love!