You turned ten on May 15 and here we are on June 1. Time flies so quickly I can hardly believe it.
Just over a decade ago I was a 200 lb woman about to give birth to a 10lb 3oz baby.
I remember overhearing the nurses at Grace Hospital, talking amongst themselves right after you were born. A ten pounder! they said excitedly. I was too groggy to realize what this meant, but I know now that I should have been given a special medal for birthing someone of your girth.
You head was so big you had to be hoovered out of me. That’s okay. I forgive you, but please remember that when I ask you to clean your room.
When we brought you home from the hospital we didn’t really know what do to with you, so we did the only thing we could think of: take photos. Daddy thought it’d be funny to lay you down on the floor next to a ten-pound watermelon for scale.
It’s been a long time since you’ve been my baby. These years have gone by so quickly. The days are long and the years are short.
I brought you to my photo lighting class last week to act as my model for some studio portrait-taking practice. I’m glad I did. As I look at the many photos from that day I can still see traces of your baby face. It’s a face I’ve been looking at for a long time, with as much worry and love that a heart can muster.
You are an immensely likable person Emma. You are kind, patient, generous, and keen to try new things. You’re fun-loving, big-hearted and goofy. (I wonder who you get that from?) Our portrait-session reminded me that we should have more one-on-one time together. For some reason it doesn’t happen as often as I would like.
I promised myself I wouldn’t write too much in this space because I don’t want to embarrass you too much (I’ll save that when the boys start a’callin’) so I will leave it at that.
There’s a special place in my heart for you – my first born girl – and I love you very much.
