Happy 1st Birthday, Harpie Girl

Warning: This post and birthday related posts that are sure to follow may contain high and even dangerous levels of maternal sappiness.  Please view at your own risk. 

My baby is one.  One.  A whole year.  While there are millions of firsts left to be had, the year of firsts has come to a close.  Now when people ask how old my kids are, I will say "one and two" (actually 2 1/2- shout out to Gavin on his 1/2 birthday!) rather than "9 months and.." or "4 months and.." or something that has something to do with months...not years.  I intentionally tried not to blink since April 24th, 2012, but some how this crazy thing of time passing by and babies growing up has happened.  I am so proud of my baby girl.  She is a sweet little ragamuffin girl.  I love her dimple and her silliness and how she gasps for air when she thinks something is funny and how friendly she is and how she hollers at her brother when he gets up in her business and how she crawls like a little howler monkey and the little gap in her two front teeth and how when she doesn't have a bow in her hair, her hair looks like a little mushroom hat over her sweet little petite face.  I pretty much love all things that are Harper Addison.  

I started thinking the other night as I was holding her and rocking with her at bedtime- these are the most precious moments.  These are the most fleeting and precious moments- when your babies are tiny, when you can hold them in your arms and exchange slobber and snot and sweetness.  I look forward to countless moments as both my children grow up...and I want them to- I don't want to hold them back from growing up just because I'm a sappy mom.  BUT when I look back in my life at some of the most precious moments where I could ask God for time to stand still, I know that these will be some of them.  So with that in mind...I'd like to wish my little sunshine girl a happy first birthday and sing (er...type) her a birthday song. 

Someday, when I'm awfully low

When the world is cold

I will feel a glow just thinking of you

Just the way you look tonight

Oh but you're lovely

With your smile so warm

And your cheek so soft

There is nothing for me but to love you

Just the way you look tonight.

With each smile your tenderness grows

Tearing my fear apart

And that laugh that wrinkles your nose,

It touches my foolish heart. 

Oh, but you're lovely,

Never, ever change.

Keep that breathless charm.

Won't you please arrange it ?

Cause I love you,


just the way you look tonight.

Happy 1st Birthday, Harpie Girl.  You've made your mommy and daddy and brother so happy.  May your life continue to grow deep into Christ and your life continue to be built on Him.  We love you so so much.