Today is Ava’s first birthday.

Wow.  Really??

It makes my heart ache just a bit.  Or a lot.

She has been such a blessing to our family in her one year…and not just in the generic, every-baby-is-a-blessing kind of way (not to knock that, though – it is itself absolutely amazing), but in a way that is unique to her.  It’s the way she can wake me up multiple times a night and still be endearing.  It’s the way she wraps her arms around my neck when I pick her up.  It’s the way she gets a huge smile on her face when she first sees her Daddy in the morning, and the way she giggles with excitement when I start reading her a book she has brought me.

It’s the way I always want to hold her for just a few more minutes when she’s asleep in my arms, and the way tears come to my eyes when I realize how fleeting these baby-days are.  It’s the way she has reminded me of the joy of being loved by my children, and the way she helps me see the difference that gentleness makes.

And along with being a blessing, there are obviously other qualities about her that are special and noteworthy.  She loves tomatoes and potatoes and chocolate and bananas.  She has been walking for almost 2 months and, unlike at least a couple of our other children, has not really given crawling a second thought since then.  She wants to be a big kid, and she never sees them crawling, so she won’t either.  She loves bathtime, but hates encountering large amounts of water in any other environment (beaches, sprinklers, pools,etc.).  She’s loud when she’s excited, and loopy when she’s tired.  She still wakes up often at night (we’re working on that) and does not like to nap.  She loves the piano and occasionally sings to herself.  There are so many quirks and personality traits that make her distinctly Ava.

She is loved lavishly and, even now, pours that love back out in her hugs and snuggles and smiles.  She is treasured, and though I might feel like these past twelve months have passed too quickly, it is nonetheless a joyful thing to be taking this day to mark the first year of life.  Happy Birthday, Ava Grace.