Happy 1st Birthday Kylie!

I spent some time Sunday night going through hundreds, and I'm sure it is well over a thousand pictures that we have taken of Kylie since she arrived 1 year ago today. I remember when we got home from the hospital we saw that we had already taken about 200 pics and that was just in the first couple days of her life.

I remember thinking I could not wait to see our baby girl, and then thinking wait..I'm not sure I am ready for this..maybe I will just be pregnant forever :) Her arrival just filled us with all sorts of emotions, and I couldn't believe she was here, our princess! I remember Matt calling her his little punkin and I called her punky because she was so feisty. Matt and I still talk about how beautiful a day it was when we brought her home. Our heavenly Father had this truly beautiful path laid out before us, and when we drove down our street it was so bright and sunny, unlike the other streets we passed on the way home, and the colors of the trees were so vibrant...like He was welcoming Our family home. It was very surreal, and so incredible. He loves us so much!

As a first time parent, you have no idea what to expect or what you are truly in for. It is definitely a rollercoaster ride for sure...one that is in the dark and you have no idea what twists or turns are coming up next. We had some difficult times from Kylie having huge troubles nursing, to our scare when she had an ambulance ride at 3 months with a hospital stay, to her diagnosis of IS just 2 months after that. She has also given us lots of happy moments with her continued development, and the smiles..oh those Sweet smiles! Despite all that she has been through we are not only still standing...sometimes leaning, but Kylie has been just amazing through it all.

I think all that she has been through in her first year of life should teach us something...something about how a little person, with no control, no say about anything that is happening to them can be so happy, and just constantly on the go. It is as though she she has been untouched by all the crazy stuff that she has been through. She very well may never remember any of this, but as her mom and dad we will have the wear and tear on our hearts...the places that she has since filled in with her love and amazing spirit. We are so glad that He has chosen us as her parents, how blessed we are to have her as our daughter! We thank God every day for another day with her and all the many blessing He has given us.

I'm sure I could go on and on...right now I can't find the words, it has been kind of crazy lately, and I feel like I am already stumbling through this. I will leave you with a couple slideshows of Kylie from her 1st year. There are two, since it only lets you upload so many pics per slide show. Enjoy the shows, and our beautiful princess :)

Part II