Letter to Evelyn (just a few days late)

Dearest Evelyn,

Our precious little girl...what a gift from God you are. From the moment the sonogram technician announced "It's a Girl!" (and your father pumped his fist high into the air), we have been smitten with you. Before you were born, I promised there would be no excess of pink or large hair bows....now you sleep every night in a room painted "Cotton Candy Pink" and the larger the bow, the better when it comes to accessorizing your outfits.

In those first few hours after you were born, I remember looking at you and wondering who you would be. Oh, little girl, you haven't kept that dynamic personality a secret for too long. You seem to do everything with every little fiber of your being, whether it is enthusiastically greeting people in public or crying because some loved item (usually paper or plastic) has been taken from your hands. Never before did we know a child could scream so loud or be so happy in a span of five minutes.

Right now you are a Mommy's girl, crawling rapidly after me wherever I go in the house. You love for me to hold you and walk around and even like for me to rock you before going to sleep. Again, I vowed never to rock my babies, but now I dread the day your are too big and too busy to sit in my lap and sing our "Rock, Rock the Baby" song. Seeing your daddy at the end of the day always elicits a great joyful squeal and a rapid crawl towards him so you can be tossed in the air. You love to be right in the center of your brother's playing, whether he invited you or not. Lately the love affair between the two of you has become a bit tense, but I see a great friendship developing in the future. That little boy loves you tremendously...even when you turn off the television during Playhouse Disney or sit on top of his GeoTrax...and is going to be an excellent example to you. My prayer is for the two of you to see the value in such a relationship, to cultivate it, and to cherish it.

People often stop me in public to comment on how beautiful you are and how absolutely amazing your eyes are. Indeed you are a beautiful baby, but I believe it is the life in your eyes, which hold such a sparkle of vitality, that immediately draws others to you. Already we see such spirit in you, causing me to know that you likely will cut the apron strings much sooner than I will want. We pray that God molds and shapes this spirit in you, helping you become a brave, confident woman one day. What a mighty, unstoppable force you will be!

Happy First Birthday, Baby Evelyn. We love you more than you will ever know!

One Day Old...

One Month Old
Two Months Old
Three Months Old
Four Months Old
Five Months Old
Six Months Old
Seven Months Old
Eight Months OldNine Months Old
Ten Months Old

Eleven Months Old

One Year!