April is a Month Packed with a Punch.

This is something you are going to recognize as you get older, Sylvie. Amongst other April traditions like easter, this month also houses the birthday of your Father, Granddaddy, Aunt Heather, Aunt DJ, Great-Grandma-Mamaw, Auntie Sarah, and it was the birthday of your Great Grandfather David Ernest Bayer. In addition to all those wonderful Birthday celebrations, your Father and I chose to get married on April 24th, 2004. 

Tomorrow will be your Father and I's fifth year wedding anniversary. He and I always knew we wanted children, and I always secretly hoped to have at least one daughter, but creating you and having you in our lives is a bigger gift than either of us could have imagined. These past seven months have been unlike anything I've ever experienced - our initial infatuation with you and the shock of taking care of a whole little being, getting settled in as a family while trying to balance your care and work from home, and watching and helping as you happily reach each amazing milestone - life with Sylvie Wren has been non-stop and full of beauty. 

I have tried my best to document many of those beautiful moments through photographs for all your family and friends who live far away. This April will have brought you two great visits - your Grammie and Grandpop just left (you had SO much fun! It broke my heart that you can't have their entertainment every day, but you always have their love), and tomorrow Aunt Grace gets to meet you for the first time! She is very excited to see you and hopes that you like her as much as she loves you... uh yeah! As good as I have been about putting your photos online for all your family to see, I have been equally bad about posting here on your blog. I have started keeping notes of all my favorite moments with you these past months, and I hope to now write about some of them while adding entries about new experiences. We'll see!

Last year, at the beginning of April 2008, I took you (in my belly, of course) to Naples Florida to visit your Grandad, Aunt Amanda, Aunt Angelina and your Great Grandma Mamalu. As I'm sure you know by the time you read this, your Dad can worry a great deal about you and this trip was no exception; it was hard for him to let his little Pancake travel. He knew how important it was for me to go, and that trip turned out to be your only visit with Mamalu, which I will always treasure. Your Grandad had heated up his pool for our visit, and one afternoon you and I swam and floated around, talking sincerely about family with Mamalu while she sat on a patio chair. It was the type of quiet chat she and I always shared when we were together, and I look forward to sharing moments like that with you.

This April you got what you wanted most and became mobile. You first crawled for real on April 10th in my office while I was working. It was beautiful! In the video I am so excited that my laugh sounds choke-y from trying to maintain my composure; I thought I might explode with pride! Yesterday while I was working at my computer I watched you crawl off your play-rug, which is what you often do to reach the cables under my desk. You had something else in mind this time, because instead of heading under my feet you moved to the doorway. You waited there a while, and then I watched as my little girl started her first trip down the hallway. It didn't take you long, you bravely conquered the hallway and made your way to the livingroom. You were headed into the diningroom when you looked back and somehow found eye contact with me; your face lit up with it's famous infectious grin and you decided to head back and see your ol' Mom! Once you made it to my feet and shared a few laughs, you noticed Hattie-dog and once again traversed the hallway to the livingroom, at which point I had to call your Grandma and let her know just how silly and amazing you are. You crack me up! I wish everyone we love could see these special moments as I see them. April 2009 has been wonderful, and it isn't even over!

Anyway, Thank you, Thank you Sylvie for being the most awe-inspiring and beautiful creature. I knew I would love you, but had no idea how much I would LOVE being a Mom to you. I look forward to the day when those words hit home with you, when my little girl gets to experience the love of being a Mother. I am so grateful your Dad and I are here to help you along the way.  :)