Happy Birthday to My Firstborn!

(above: Livers, January 2, 2007)

(above: Livers, January 2, 2008)

It seems very strange to me, but one year ago at this very moment I was at St. Francis Women's Hospital, trying not to swear at my nurse because my epidural had worn off and back labor had also commenced. Meanwhile my husband was watching Louisville win the Orange Bowl as he held up one leg during contractions and my mom held the other while questioning the doctor as to exactly how long this was going to last before he'd give me a C-section. Yes, today is the anniversary of the birth of my child, "Livers". It is very hard to believe that a year has passed by. Sometimes it seems to have happened so quickly and sometimes it seems like an eternity. No matter how time seems to be passing, I can say that I have been truly blessed this year. Though there are times when parenting is hard and you ask yourself what in God's name have you gotten yourself into (like when she is crying uncontrollably, particularly at 3 am, or she is flinging all of her food on the floor or feeding it to your eager dogs, or when she discovers she can make a new, God-awful noise), all it takes is one toothy baby smile or belly-laugh or garbled first words to make you realize how special it is to have this person in your life.

With all of this said, I say Happy Birthday to you, Livers, and I raise my sippy cup of big-girl drink to this first year of your life and wish you many, many more. :)

P.S. It is my hope that I will be a more faithful blogger this coming year. We shall see how long it lasts.