To my G-Baby....With Love

Last week was such a fun week! My daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter came for a whole week!! The reason? Audrey had her first birthday!!! It was a fun, hectic, wonderful, tiring, happy time!!!! I can't believe she's one! Where did the time go? This amazing little girl joined our family August 19, 2008.

She was just beautiful!! She spent two days in the NICU, scared us all, but was still absolutely perfect!! I remember standing outside the nursery window, watching my baby with her baby, and just feeling so completely overwhelmed with love. Love for my daughter as she started this new journey as a mommy. Love for my son-in-law as he watched over Audrey, making sure she was well taken care of by the nurses. I remember my first glimpse of Audrey. It was through the nursery window. Only parents were allowed in the nursery. But after a couple of hours of us standing there with our noses pressed to the glass (and Audrey having some breathing problems), the nurse came out and said that we could go in, one at a time, to see our little baby before they took her to the NICU. Just touching her was wonderful. We couldn't hold her, but I remember just touching her head and her hand and feeling so amazed that this was my granddaughter!! And how awesome it was!

These are two of my favorite pictures from the day she was born:

Melissa holding her daughter. And Audrey holding her daddy's finger. Such wonderful love.

Over this last year we have watched Audrey grow and develop. Her first smiles. The first time she rolled over. Her first tooth. Sitting all by herself. Laughing at her funny faces over the new foods she ate. Playing with toys. Standing. Walking. Watching her do all the motions to the "Itsy Bitsy Spider" song. Blowing kisses! Showing us her belly button.

To my g-baby:

You have brought such joy to our family. You have truly been a blessing. And you are loved so very much.

Happy 1st Birthday!