our.lily.is.double.digits.today - fort collins portrait photographer

My dearest Lily,

It was exactly ten years ago that your bright little light shined it's way into the furthermost reaches of our lives.  So much so, that for the first year of your life, we suspected there might be something wrong with you because you were so exceedingly happy all the time.  You must forgive us for this error in judgment, you see, because this was a brand new kind of baby in our world, the likes of which we had never seen.  With a bald, oversized head and an ear-to-ear grin that revealed two big dimples in the center of those chubby cheeks, you were utterly irresistible to us.  We couldn't have been more smitten.

{see?? how could you possibly resist this little ray of sunshine?!}

You have surprised us at every turn since that first year of your life.  You slowly matured into a wise 'old soul' of a girl - intensely artistic, wildly imaginative and highly intuitive.  As a small child you once described yourself {and I quote directly} as being "an adult in a midget's body".  We simply couldn't have said it better ourselves.  That description is so you.

{you (and Ava) as 'old man' at the ripe old age of 5}

You've stretched me in more ways than I can count and thus, have taught me more about the peaks and valleys of love and life than I ever thought possible.  The challenges we've struggled through together have taught me over and again about the tremendous gift of the new day ... about what it really means to let go and begin anew.  Such a valuable practice for the whole of life, really.  As difficult as it may be at times, I am reminded of how our experiences together continually call me into

a newness of life - one of growth and transformation with all it's accompanying messiness.

It's true (even if my progress is slow) that I'm becoming a better person because of you.

My hope for your tenth year of life is that you always remember that even in the midst of all these 'learnings',

your megawatt smile never fails to bring a song to my heart.

It still gets me.  Every time.

You are ours.  And we are yours.

And we couldn't be happier about it.

Happy 10th birthday, my love.

xo,

{your mum}