Dearest Lil,
Happy first birthday! We made it. I never thought we wouldn’t, but being a parent can be really scary. I’ve never been so tired, cried so much, slept so little, smiled or laugh so much as I have this past year. Not all of those happened because of you, but most of them did. It sounds trite, but you really do complete me.
Taking a bite out of a grape at Whole Foods.
glad we went to the extremes we did in order to get you. You are such a blessing.
Your sweet smile (everyone says that, not just us), your sunny disposition (unless you’re hungry or sleepy), your first word “He-ay,” your chubby
cheeks, your head full of hair (even when you were born), your ability to make everyone feel special and to feel your love, your Flinstone feet and so
much more have made this past year the best year of my life.
Other events have made it a really tough year, but having you in our lives has made us focus on what is truly important — the future. You are our
future, and I wish more people were like you. I just pray your Mama and I don’t screw you up. God truly has truly blessed us.
Your Mama and I have dreamed about having children for many years and had given up hope of ever having one until we decided to give it one last
try. We went far and above what we said we would ever do and for that I am thankful. I believe God was with us the whole way. He knew we would
be good or at least very loving parents and knew we could only handle one.
You started as at most, an eight-cell little body. It’s no surprise that we saw your heart beat before we had any right to expect it. We were told we
probably wouldn’t see it so early on, but there it was, beating so strong inside this little blob on the ultrasound screen. So strong, just as it and you
are now.
I can’t even tell you the joy you bring to people. People who don’t even like children say they enjoy your company, that they can’t believe how sweet you are.
People sometimes describe children as old souls and they have done the same with you. You pay such close attention to people when they talk to you. You might not do what they or we
Lil enjoys a slide with Uncle Jack on Nov. 20, 2011
tell you, but you know what is being said. Your teachers at daycare say you are the most affectionate child your age that they have ever seen.
Ms. Chyvonne even said the other day that you are going to be a pediatric nurse when you grow up. I told her I would prefer you be a pediatrician. She
said you would be a nurse because you’re so caring. You love kissing babies on their heads. From the time you could move around, you have comforted your classmates when they were upset. You would crawl over to them and pat them on their chests and heads if they were crying. Now that you’re in Room B, you still do the same. I saw you the other day crawl over to one of your classmate’s cribs. I didn’t know what was going on until I walked in the room. The baby was crying, so you crawled over to his crib to comfort him.
Your Great-Granddad died four days before you were born. I’m sad that he isn’t here to get to know you and for you to get to know him, but I will always believe that he gave you a talking to before God sent you our way. How else could you be so good?
I thank God multiple times a day for you. I hope you feel the love that we and everyone else in your life have for you. You are a very special girl and will do great things. When your Mama and I were dreaming about the life we wanted for our child, we spoke about having a child who loved life and people, enjoyed travel and was an upstanding citizen. I think we’re off to a good start.
You are the hardest job I’ve ever had, but by far the most rewarding. I love you, Lillian Gael Park, and I’m looking forward to spending your birthday with you.
