Happy 1st Birthday.

Scarlett my darling daughter, today you are 1 year of age, and I cannot believe how the time has passed. I still remember the first kicks, the hiccups, constantly having to pee, the first time I was able to hold you, the first time we gave you a bath, the first time you threw up on me... all of these moments as if they were yesterday. The past 20 months when I first found out that you existed, and then at 24 months I felt your first movement for the first time, seem so close, yet so far away. I have watched you grow and learn literally hourly, and your intelligence, spunk, and uniqueness amaze me daily. I don't know how many times I have been complimented by your beauty, or how amazed people are about your cognitive development, (yes I am using these terms.. I'm still in college at this point.) I would never have imagined that at the age of 23 I would have accomplished this much. I never imagined that at 22 I would actually give birth to one of the little people I was so fascinated with and planned on making a career playing and teaching. Thank you for the experiences, the laughs, the first words, the crawling even more importantly the love. The love that you show me is unmatchable, and I hope that you know that there are no limits to my love for you. My love for you is unconfined... there are times sure that I may not like your choices, your choice in friends, words, or lifestyle, but that love will never change.

I hope that you realize just how much everyone loves you. Your father, though him and I are no longer together loves you very much, as does your older brother. I hope that in time your father and I can learn to  co parent in a healthy, loving way, with your benefit being the soul reason we continue to communicate. We may not have lasted, we may not always get along, but you will always have both of us, and I hope that he and I continue to show you that as the years pass.

Happy Birthday my Baby,

Mommy