This One is for Shaun...

Believe me being a stay @ home mommy has its challenges, but today I sat in the sand box with my daughter for over an hour and watched as she discovered how the sand felt in between her toes, how it ran through her fingers, how it clumps up with water. Today we buried her feet under squishy mud, blew bubbles, ate oranges while she sat in her baby pool, and then cuddled on the couch to read books before putting her down for her afternoon nap. It is days like today that I stop and think how blessed I am to have these precious moments with Lillian. Her first year has gone by so fast, and I feel so lucky to have been there for every second of it. But it is also days like today I am reminded that I have this time with her because I have a husband who not only is supportive of my decision to stay at home, but encourages me and believes that it really is what is best for our daughter right now.

So Shaun, thank you for the hours in the sand box, the morning cuddles on the couch, the smiles and the kisses, the hours of swinging outside, the trips to the zoo, the mommy and me classes, the first laughs, the first crawls, the rocking to sleep... thank you for the sacrifices that you have made so I could have all of those moments with her. You are an amazing father and a loving husband, and Lillian and I are so blessed to have you in our lives. I love you and respect you, and am so grateful for all that you do for our family.