A letter to my baby on her Blessing day

For those who weren't able to be here for Kira's baby blessing...the following is a letter I wrote to Kira and shared with those who were there.

Dear Kira,

I sit down at the computer the day before your blessing trying to decide what really profound things I can say tomorrow. I’ve been stumped for weeks now….without a clue of what to say. I can hear you playing downstairs with your dad and it’s apparent that you’re really entertained. It’s fun for me to sit up here and listen to you babble. I wish I knew what you were saying. I wonder if you even know.
At night as I lay you down to sleep….some nights you’re drowsy and drift off to sleep before I even leave the room. Some nights you scream and cry so I hold you and sing to you until you are calm enough to rest. Those nights are hard, but they teach me patience. When it’s time for me to go to bed, I carefully sneak in your room and make sure you are sleeping soundly and your body rises and falls with each breath. I make sure you’re covered by your blanket and I tip toe back to my room to go to bed. I say a little prayer that you’ll sleep okay and you’ll be there in the morning when I wake up sleeping just as soundly as I left you.
I wake up in the morning, and sneak again into your room. Usually you’re still sleeping soundly, but if you aren’t…. I can find you sitting up in your crib talking to your doll or pushing the music on the side of your bed. You’re always so happy first thing in the morning. You’re always smiling and ready to play. I head off to work and begin counting the hours down until I’m done. It used to be I couldn’t wait to get off work just to get off work. But, now it’s so I can run home and get my baby. You’re so predictable now. I show up to get you. I grab you in my arms. You try to pull my name tag off. You try to eat it. You smile at the babysitter, and you smile until you get to the car seat. You hate getting in it. But, you are always okay when I give you my name tag to play with.
We get home and either we take a nap or play. You’re crawling now and hard to keep up with. You seriously can find anything and everything to stick in your mouth. Your favorite food right now is banana’s…It’s fun when it’s dinner time to watch the faces you make when you’re eating new things. You’ve got 6 teeth now, so you’re really a good eater. You love to play with toys that make noise…what kid doesn’t I guess? You love to take baths. You love to smile back at old ladies in the grocery store. You love to snuggle when you’re getting a little sleepy. You love to laugh when you’re tickled. You are starting to throw fits when you don’t get your way.
You’re doing all the little things that babies all do.
But, what you’re doing to my heart and soul is something that only my own child can do. When you look at me with your big blue eyes…and smile that cheesy grin, it does something to my heart that I cannot explain. It makes anything and everything seem so small and all that matters is that I have you in my arms. Your eyes immediately calm my troubled heart. Your smile melts any sadness away. Your innocence makes any decision seem simple. Your loud screeches crack me up. When you learn anything new, it makes me proud to be a mom.
I hope for you on your blessing day that you can feel the love that your family has for you: that you will know one day and understand that we will do everything and anything for you to have a happy and healthy life. You truly are a gift… and I will be forever thankful that I am your mother.
From the second you were born. I mean literally, the second you were born, my life changed. I knew that you had come to earth to teach me things that I needed to learn. You were sent down to earth to teach me patience, love, selflessness, faith and hope. In your blessing everyone will be reminded of your name. I chose your middle name Hope and in the instant that you were born, I knew I had named you perfectly-for all you represented in my life, and all you deserve in your life. I am proud to be your mother. I am proud to call you Kira. Kira Hope.

With Love,
Mom