No Post Title, Just Feelings

Dear Olivia,

It is 7:27pm right now, Monday March 22, 2010. I am finally starting to feel better from a weekend full of stomach flu and am on the couch, watching Dancing with the Stars, while you stand next to my legs watching it as well. You just took a few steps from the couch towards the tv and as people on the screen started applauding the latest performance, you did the same. You are so cute and funny, it kills me!

Remember when you were in Heaven trying to decide what family you would come to and you chose Trevor and me? I sometimes wonder what drove you into that decision. Why us? Do you know why sometimes when I cuddle you to sleep I just look at you wondering what lullaby to sing next? I can't think of one because none really describes the amount of love I have for you, none is as sweet as your eyes, as comforting as your smile. Will you always remember that I love you with all my heart, that I would die for you, kill for you, walk on fire for you, go to hell and back for you?

I hope you know that. I hope you can feel it. It's been one year now since you've graced us with your presence, your sweet loving presence. You have learned to smile, to giggle and to laugh, you have learned to sit up, you respond to the name we gave you and you have spit up on us more times than we can count. You have learned a few cute sounds, you have started walking, you know who dada and mamae are, you like to turn the tv on and off with your tongue, you love to give us wet kisses, you also have the stinkiest poopy diapers on earth! You love going on walks, you have lots of fun on the swing at the park and you actually enjoy being at the daycare at the gym while your mama works out. You love your family, you're such a sweet delicate girl, you love to cuddle and we love to cuddle with you.

You have changed so much since you were born. That skinny fragile infant is not among us anymore. Your once straight black hair is now light brown and wavy. You have your grandpa Windhorst's hazel eyes and your mamae's nose. You also inherited your mamae's pudge belly and the butt... well that's a fight between your dada and your grandma Vila Nova. You surely have your dada's thick and strong thighs, which is the reason why only 18 month-old pants fit you right now. You have a beautiful natural tan that lots of people pay big bucks to have. You love to dance, you even dance to Law and Order's theme song! You're not a fan of movies but you seem to be hypnotized when Baby Signs is on. I love them too. You also love to eat, but mama is staying strong in her goal to not let you have junks or sweets until you're old enough to want them yourself. You are your dada's pride and he loves how obedient you are. You know your smile can get you whatever you want from your mamae but when dada means business, you listen. We love that about you.

We want to wish you a happy first year of life, Olivia. We pray that there will be many more to come! We want you to know that we could not be happier to have you in our family. You might grow to be our only child and we will do our best to provide you with the best opportunities there are in life. We might not give you brand name clothing - actually you already wear hand-me-downs. We might not buy you the latest generation electronics - heck, we are probably the only people on earth who don't have a flat screen tv. We will probably make you work and save money to buy your first car. But this we promise you: we will provide you with the best education and hope that you will love learning and languages and books as much as we do. We will take you to the parks, we will teach you to love and respect nature, we will make sure you visit your family and make good friends with them, we will try to teach you good work ethics and we will show you by example the goodness in being honest and the blessings that come from serving the Lord. We will be there to catch you each time you fall, we'll always have bandaids available and we will help mend those broken hearts. We will help dry your tears and we will hopefully be a reason for you to smile. We will do and be those things and much more because we love you, and we we could not love you any less!

Feliz Aniversario Meu Amor!

Mama e Dada