One

How is my baby one year old? I swear she was just this tiny thing that made me question everything I thought I knew about sleep, about my body, about what love could feel like. Now she’s sitting in her highchair destroying a cake with the focus of a tiny scientist.

One

The frosting is everywhere. Her hair, her nose, somehow on the ceiling - I’m still figuring that one out. She got some on Biscuit (wait, that’s wrong - we don’t have Biscuit yet). She got some on everything within a three-foot radius, which in our tiny kitchen means basically everything. Marcus is documenting this chaos while I try to keep her from eating pure frosting by the fistful.

I thought I’d be more prepared for this moment, you know? I read all the books, bought the perfect cake, planned the perfect outfit. But nothing prepared me for how it would feel watching her discover that cake is basically edible art supplies. Or how it would feel knowing that this time last year, I was just figuring out how to keep us both alive.

Sophie Grace Hartwell, you made me a mom exactly one year ago today. Thanks for being patient while I figured it out. Now let’s get you in the bath before this frosting becomes a permanent part of your hair.