First Mother's Day

Dear Kayla Marie,

I never expected you to enter our lives this early, and I don't think I was quite ready.  But I never knew you could love someone so much, even when they were a little bit of a surprise.  I love you despite the constant night wakings, the frequent "pooplosions," the terrible napping, the stubbornness when it is time to go to sleep, the high-pitched shrieking, the way you claw at my neck mole with your nails, the way you pull on me when you are eating, the way you pull on my hair and refuse to let go, how you sometimes hate to cuddle with me, how you spit up so much I have to wash your burp rags as much as your cloth diapers, how you roll onto your stomach when swaddled and scare me, and how you stick your tongue out when I'm trying to get you to suck on your pacifier.  And I love you because you have taught me unconditional love, you have taught me patience, you nestle up to me after eating at night, you smile at me with the pacifier in your mouth when I'm trying to put you to sleep, you giggle when I blow bubbles on your tummy, you always seem to find me in the room when someone else is holding you and then you always smile at me, you pout your lower lip in the cutest expression, you chew on your tongue, you grab my chin when I bring my face close to yours like you want me to be closer, you put your arms around me in a pseudo-hug when I put you on my shoulder, you always give me the biggest smile of the day right away in the morning, and the way your wrinkle your forehead constantly trying to look up.

So, even if I get nothing and do nothing on this first mother's day; even though you woke me up at midnight, 1 am, 3 am, 5 am and 8 am, and even though I have a feeling you will still only nap for 30 minutes today, I know this will be my most memorable mother's day because the greatest gift I could ever ask for is you, and I already got that.  I love you more than you will ever know, and you are by far the most precious, amazing and perfect surprise I could ever have wished for.

Love, Momma