Happy Birthday Monkey!

All my life the only thing I ever knew for sure was that I wanted to be a mom.  My dream came true ten years ago when my beautiful daughter was born.  Up to that moment, I knew what love was.  I had an amazing family, I had married my Prince Charming and I had a circle of friends who I adored.  Even with all that, nothing - and I mean nothing - in this world even comes close to how big my heart swelled when I laid eyes on that perfect little face for the first time.

Don't get me wrong...for 38 hours leading up to her arrival I wasn't the happiest camper on earth.  And I'm sure my husband got more than an earful from me.  In discussing it today, he said "we should remember it as a time when we had a mutual understanding of what we needed to accomplish and leave it at that."  Well said my love!  And, as any new mom would tell you, there were moments when I was sure my sanity would be the price of being a mom.  They would also tell you that they would not trade being a mom for anything in the world...and they would be right.

Marianna, the day you were born I knew what it meant to have my heart beat outside of my body.  I knew true joy; I knew real fear.  I truly understood what the term "mama bear" meant.  You have brought so much joy into our lives my munchkin and we love you more than we will ever be able to express in words.  I know you are excited to be in double digits, but try not to grow up too fast.  And remember no matter how big you get, you will always be my baby girl.  We love you sweet pea - Happy 10th Birthday.