Yesterday, December 18th, 2012, we celebrated your very First Birthday! There are so many emotions as I think about this past year with you. Your journey began in April 2011, when we found out we would be adding another special blessing to our family of three. I knew from around week 10-12 that you would be a girl. You see, when I was expecting Jackson, the Lord revealed his gender to me through dreams, three dreams to be exact. The same thing happened with you, my sweet angel. The Lord gave me three dreams of me holding a precious baby girl, surrounded by Andrew and Jackson.
In July 2011, it was confirmed by ultrasound that our blessing would be a sweet baby girl. ;) Sugar , spice, and everything nice!
Over the next four and a half months we prepared our home to welcome you. We announced to Jackson that he would be a big brother, and would have a baby sister by the end of the year, hopefully before Christmas. At first he didn't know what that meant, but as my belly grew bigger and rounder, he started asking more questions. We told him about how you were growing and that one day we would go to the hospital and bring you home with us. He was so excited that he was going to be a big brother and kept asking when we could go to the hospital to get you. ;) This melted my heart.
After several weeks of debating over what to name you, Andrew finally compromised with me and we decided on Katelyn Elizabeth. Again, this was a name that entered my mind around week 10-12 when the Lord began to reveal that you would be a girl, so it was a name that I just couldn't shake! Andrew wanted to try and come up with something a little more modern and unique, but I just couldn't come up with anything, and he couldn't come up with anything he really liked either. Originally, I wanted to spell your name Kaitlyn, but Andrew preferred a more traditional spelling, so I agreed on Katelyn. It has a nice ring to it.....Katelyn Elizabeth Ellard.
Your expected due date was December 16, 2011. I knew you probably wouldn't come early, since Jackson wanted to baste a while longer before he was born, lol. In the days leading up to December 16th, we started trying any old wives tales I had heard about to start the labor process, but I'm not sure anything really worked. All I can say is my last meal before I went into labor was Mexican, with really spicy salsa! Around 4am Sunday morning, December 18th, I went into early labor. This continued until you were born at 5:04 p.m. later that evening! What sounds like a really long time didn't even matter when I looked at you for the first time. You were, and are, perfect. Your tiny little nose, beautiful eyes, head full of hair, 10 perfect fingers and toes. The perfect bundle of joy. What a perfect Christmas present!
You were welcomed by your proud father, Andrew, excited big brother Jackson, and our family. Your Ya-Ya, Grandpa Mike, Mawmaw & PawPaw Willison, and Uncle Matthew were all there to welcome you at the hospital. The next day your Grandpa Al, Nana Nancy, and Granny Wilks, along with other friends, came by to meet you for the first time. It was very special for you to meet Granny Wilks, because you now share her birthday! She was so tickled that you were born on her birthday and was so proud to meet you.
We brought you home a few days later and have had the pleasure and delight of watching you grow over the past year. You are such a strong little girl; you even raised your head for a few seconds before even leaving the hospital! In you I see joy, happiness, determination, strength, adventure, fearlessness, love, laughter, and so much more. You are such a joy to be around, and bring such laughter to our home. We all love you so much and it warms my heart every time I watch you play, and talk, and cruise around. Jackson loves you very much too, and he can make you laugh like no other! You love to watch him play and run around the room, and you especially love racing him as you both crawl down the hall, or around the living room. You love him very much as well. You both love to exchange hugs and kisses, and this melts my heart every time I witness it.
You are such a sweet little cuddle bunny; I love it when you still let me rock you to sleep, when you lay your head on my shoulder, or when you nuzzle your head against my cheeks. Especially when you give me sweet kisses on my cheek. Of course, I could kiss your sweet cheeks all day long! We love you so much and are so proud of you.
Happy First Birthday my Sweet Katelyn. We are so blessed to call you ours and we look forward to many years of watching you grow and learn of God's love for you. I pray that the Lord will protect you physically from harm, spiritually from the evil one, and emotionally from negative influence. I pray He will make you strong in stature, beautiful and quiet in spirit, and a beautiful, confident little girl.
Love,
Mom
What a sweet letter!!! Beautiful family!!! :)
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