From the heartbeating moment to the heart-melting ones…

Yup, I’m still counting all those year markers 🙂 And today of course.. was one year since we saw that heartbeat, that I had hoped that day would keep beating for at least 90 years now.
Well, one year and counting 🙂
And the year 2007 is fast ending, with my 4.5 month old in my arms while I still find it hard to believe, or wrap my mind around all that transpired in one year.

Jingle bells are everywhere and of course the holiday season is here all the way – and its that time of stress of running around and trying to get it all together. The difference for me, is that I am not missing the moments this year. I am treasuring every single one. I realize that this year is so special and I will never again have anything like it. Who knows what will be next year – but my baby won’t be a baby anymore. It will be a totally different Christmas. Its funny how I never saw it this way before. All those Xmases with DH – well, we were one year older, so what. It was generally the same thing pretty much.  With a child, I am suddenly realizing that this is the ONLY Christmas I get with her as a baby.
So amidst all the craziness, all the stressful things going on and all the parts of life that are not so great, I am taking out the time to focus on what is. And that is definitely this laughing, smiling little baby that is simply more and more amazing every single day.

Today she looked up at our (finally decorated!) tree and smiled ear to ear. Several times 🙂 I looked up to see what she was smiling at. I wish I could ask and of course I may never know, but I will forever treasure that moment of seeing HER light up 🙂

She also laughs now and it is so priceless, to see her crack up and giggle so preciously at our funny songs and enjoy something silly so much.

How a baby goes from a 10cm tiny little being with a beating heart, to a 16lb little individual who is smiling and laughing and playing, all in 365 days is beyond me. One of the true miracles of life.

With all my OWN heart I can say that it has never been this grateful, this fulfilled or this happy. And I think that this has a lot to do with having learned just how much we need to appreciate the miracles given to us. Every moment of happiness that we miss daily simply because we don’t really take that time to realize or appreciate it. Something that I want to make sure I never miss again if I can help it.