Letters to Julianne #17

Dearest Julianne, 

Happy happy 1st birthday my little munch'kin!  I sure hope you have enjoyed the past one year.  Well what's there not to enjoy when you have people doing things for you at your command - change your poop, feed you, bath you, sing you lullabies, rock you to sleep - basically, never keeping our eyes off you for a moment.  Mama won't mind living that kind of life! 

I remember fondly the day you came into our lives, all ready to change it forever.  And you sure have done a fabulous job at doing that.  But it was all for the better.  You made me a better person and you made my world a brighter place.  We had some grey days but God always sent His rainbow at the end of it. 

Minutes Old

You've accomplished much in your first year, I can't be more proud of you.  Two weeks shy of your first birthday, you took your official first steps, all ready to explore the world around you.  Soon you'll be running and like Aunty Rain says, I'll need to take you with me on my marathons! 

There's ain't much of your first year that you're going to remember.  What I can, I hope to preserve them in a time capsule for your 16th or 21st birthday.  Like the little name tag you wore around your ankle during our week stay at the hospital after your birth, or the little love notes your Yiyis wrote you on your first birthday.  Perhaps too your first walking shoe or the Number 1 candle you (or Mama) blew out at your party. 

Here're highlights of your first year Julianne and I look forward to telling you stories behind each of them one day ...

♥ Seeing Mama and Papa for the first time on the night of 1 Nov 2011 after putting Mama through a 15 hour long labour. 

♥ Coming along on the breastfeeding journey with Mama this past 12 months.  Till today, you're exclusively breastfed and while we went through a rough patch with your drinking, I truly treasure every nursing session with you even at 3am in the morning.  There were calls for me to feed you formula milk instead - like at the peak of your reflux when some said formula would help keep the milk down since it was thicker - but I choose to believe that breastmilk was still the best thing I could give you.  I'm glad I stuck with it. 

♥ Your daily walks with Gong Gong - once in the morning and another in the evening.  Gong Gong adores you and I know the feeling is mutual.  He's like your buddy, the one that rescues you out of every trap we put you in - the high chair, the exersaucer, the playpen. 

♥ How Por Por gave up her job to take care of you full time.  You have no idea what a blessed child you are and I want you to grow up, being always thankful to Por Por for doing that. 

♥ Welcoming your Da-yi, Uncle Jude and Che Che Sophie home permanently after nine years.  You adored them almost immediately and today, Che Che Sophie is like this big sister you look up to - your thrilled reaction whenever she hugs you or gives you kisses is so precious, I really need to video it down one of these days.  

♥ All the many tricks you learnt from Yiy Sam like - clapping hands, doing the twinkle twinkle little star action, kissing, identifying your starfish stuff toy and the many episodes of Doc McStuffins which she watches with you.  You love her (Yiyi Sam I mean) don't you? 

♥ Seeing your great-grandfather for the last time and making him smile so widely before he went for his operation and fell so ill, you had to eventually say goodbye.  Since then, great granny has been coming to visit you whenever she was bored at home and I'm just glad you have been able to add some cheer with your sweet smiles. 

♥ Taking your first official steps at 11 months and 2 weeks.  This was probably the only milestone that made Mama tear.  I'm not sure what it is about walking but it was a rather profound moment for me.  Perhaps something to do with seeing that you're now all grown up and taking your own steps.  

♥ Blowing out the candle on your first birthday cake that Mama baked you and giving thanks to God for blessing me with such a beautiful child like you then asking Him for the wisdom to bring you up in ways that will always honour Him. 

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward."

Psalm 127:3

I hope you have enjoyed your first year Julianne.  Mama promises to take you on greater adventures in your second year.  One that will take you places, teach you new things, let you scale new heights and show you beyond what you have seen, heard and tasted in your first year.  

We love you very very much Jujubee!  Thank you for being our sunshine (or what your Papa will say - kaya to his kaya toast, sambal to his nasi lemak).  Here's a video that Papa made specially for you.    

Blessed birthday my sweet child.  God bless you and make His face shine upon you always. 

Love you soooo much

Mama