August 03, 2004: Happy Birthday!

Veronika turns one today! It's hard to believe a year has passed already, although when I think of each stage it does seem like a long time. One year ago I gave birth to a 8lb 6oz baby girl in Portage, Indiana. It was the most painful experience of my life so far but also the most mysterious. Every time I think of it I feel in awe and a little puzzled... how did all this happen? I don't know, but Lincoln and I got the best present of our lives. We had no idea. Oh and it was hard. Those first weeks I didn't know if I wanted to cry from exhilaration or exhaustion. She had us trained pretty quick though, oh how she trained us. We are Veronika-junkies now. We are volunteer slaves, we will do anything, we are grateful to be alive to watch her be alive. We are in love. Sometimes I wonder if it's a good idea to have me be her parent given the level of infatuation. We love the little feet, and the dimples on her cheeks and the ones in her elbows and every single one on her fingers. We love how she takes her steps and eats her blueberries and hugs her Hasi... and if we're honest, we love the kicking and the screaming, too. There's no denying, Schmatzi, you are a toddler now. You know what you want. I can't wait to see you grow and go to school and ride your bike and play with friends... and be all grown up one day. Hopefully we can do as good of a job being your parents as you are doing being our daughter. We love you beyond anything you can ever imagine.

You are one year old! Happy Birthday! Forgive your parents for bawling like babies when you blow out your candle tonight!

Feel free to post your Birthday message below :)