On the Eve of My Little Love's First Birthday

Presley turns one year old tomorrow. I could go on forever about how this just doesn't seem right, how time has flown, how it seems like she should still be a newborn. But, I think I've harped on that enough here. I know I'm not the only mama to feel that way about her babies. But it does seem to have gone faster with my second babe than my first. Maybe that's my own age catching up with me.

The past few days I have been playing "one year ago today" in my head, and replaying all the things I was thinking and feeling as we approached her arrival one year ago.

I've been remembering how big and miserable, and ready to meet Presley I was:

Just before leaving to go to the hospital 10/12/09

I remember Mattie's excitement and how ready she was to meet her baby. Nine months is an incredibly long time to a three year old, and she was just about as tired of that pregnancy as I was. I never really worried about how Mattie would transition to having a baby sister. Her excitement about the impending arrival of baby sister just put me at ease throughout my entire pregnancy. We have spent the past year being so proud and so amazed at how well she has grown into her role as big sister. Presley is a very lucky little girl to have Mattie by her side. For the most part, we have seen no jealousy or resentment from Mattie, (until Presley's birthday party this weekend...separate post forthcoming), and we are so grateful for that. It has been the highlight of my life watching these two girls fall in love with each other:

One of my favorite sister pics, 10-15-09

I remeber worrying some about how I was going to handle a 3 year old and a newborn by myself since I was having Presley right in the middle of football season, and Matthew was absent most of the time due to his coaching duties. I was right to worry about that...it was hard. But thanks to lots of family support and help, we made it. And here it is football season again, and we're breezing right on through it...what a difference a year makes.

I worried about my short maternity leave and going back to work, and again, that was hard as well, and still is.

And although I never worried about whether I would have enough love to share, or enough room in my heart for another baby, nothing, NOTHING, could have prepared me for the way this little girl would seamlessly fit into my heart and make me grateful to be her mama.

Presley and Mama, love at first sight

How I lived this long without her, I'll never know.

Presley and Mama, one year later and still in love