Two

Mira Joy,

I must have blinked, because today we are celebrating your 2nd birthday.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the way my love for you has evolved since the day you were born. Your first year, it was incredibly instinctual. We had a powerful connection, raw, honest and deep. It was also filled with fear, heartbreak and insurmountable uncertainty. As I look back on your first year, you, my miracle, beyond a shadow of a doubt, earned your first name.

Somewhere during your second year, the fear subsided, the uncertainty faded and the heartbreak turned into what could only be described as pure joy.

Joy.

When your Daddy and I gave you your middle name, we were in an unforeseeable place. We clung to each other, to family, to the hope that someday we would see more clearly why we were chosen for this journey.

In the Phish lyrics you were named after, “it’s you, Joy, it’s you.”

It has always been you Mira Joy. If you earned your first name during your first year, you most certainly earned your second name during your second.

I find myself in awe of you.  Your determination, sweet demeanor and undeniable spirit show just how incredible you are. You are a force to be reckoned with.  You are strong-willed. You have a diva – like stare.  You have an appetite for life and mostly everything in our kitchen.  You are a water baby, a kisser and bigger drama queen than me.  Your under-bite, your curls and your endless rolls level me. Although you adore your Daddy, you are undeniably a Momma's girl.

Every morning when you wake up, you pop your head up to greet me with a “Momma!” and that toothy smile that lights up a room. Every night, you cuddle up against me and cradle your Elmo doll as I cradle you. We sing, we chat and I smother you with kisses. We read books until you rub your eyes and I know our time together is up. These are my favorite parts of every day. I cling to these moments because I know that they are fleeting and I always want to remember that we were chosen for exactly this reason. To feel your joy.

As you continue to grow and develop, so will the way in which I love you. As you face successes and challenges in life, Daddy and I will be right there alongside you, rooting for you, believing in you and loving you beyond measure.

Happy 2nd Birthday my Mira Joy.

Love,

Mommy