Happy 1st Birthday Kayla and Rebecca!!!

I can't believe they are a year old already! I am not sure when it will sink in.. Well the following are letters to my girls. So, here it goes..

Dearest Kayla,
Today is your 1st birthday! You have certainly come a long way, kiddo! I remember the very first time I laid eyes on you, all 3 lbs 2 oz of you. You were this tiny little baby but you were (and still are) a fighter. You endured 3 months in the NICU where you had 2 intestinal surgeries, a bone infection and severe Reflux. Every time the odds were stacked against you, you proved them wrong. You came home to us on March 16, 2010 weighing in at 6 lb 7 oz. You looked so skinny next to your sister but I knew that soon you would catch up and even surpass her in weight. And you did! You started growing and gaining weight as soon as you got home and you haven't looked back since. Now, on your 1st birthday you are crawling, babbling, clapping your hands and pulling up to stand. You even have 2 teeth! You love to eat cheerios, puffs and cheese as well as yogurt. You are also on to stage 3 foods now. Every day I am more and more amazed that this tiny little creature that came into this world fighting for every breath has grown into this beautiful, smart, happy little toddler. I am so incredibly proud of you and what you have accomplished in your first year of life. I am also extremely proud and honored to be your mom. Happy birthday my sweet little Kayla. I love you very very much.

Love,
Mommy.

Dearest Rebecca,
Happy 1st birthday! It's so hard to believe you started out so tiny. You came into this world weighing 3 lbs 6 oz and once you started growing, you took off and never looked back. You spent 1 month in the NICU and came home to us on January 15, 2010. You only weighed 4 lb 8 oz and I was shocked that they were handing me this tiny person to take home! When you came home the 1st few nights were tough only because I kept waking up to check on you and make sure you were ok. The first couple of months at home you had a bad case of Reflux and Colic. It seemed like your worst time of day was from 4-6 pm. While Mommy and Daddy were off visiting your sister in the NICU, you were at home with Grammy. Some days you would cry the whole time we were gone. Everything changed once we finally figured out what was wrong and got you some medicine. You proved that you too were a fighter in September when you came down with Meningitis. You scared us to death but just like your sister, when the odds were against you, you proved everyone wrong! You made it through that experience like it was nothing. Here we are on your first birthday and you are eating all the same things your sister is even with no teeth yet! You are also crawling, babbling, clapping hands and laughing at everything (LOL). You are even on the verge of walking! I can't believe my tiny little baby is now this beautiful, smart, funny little toddler. I am so proud of you I can't wait to see what the future holds for you and your sister. Happy birthday, Rebecca. I love you very very much.

Love,
Mommy