Happy birthday!

i know it's always said, but i can't believe how the time has flown by. i'm both proud and relieved that we have made it this far. it kind of validates our ability to keep her alive, and if we've come this far, it seems reasonable that she'll be fine for the next 17 years. i know it's morbid, but i worry about her all the time. still. it was worse after she was born of course, and it has diminished over the year, but i still watch her like a hawk when she's stuffing her face with sweet potatoes, or chewing on some toy that could break apart in her iron jaws...scanning for the signs of choking. I still check on her if she's been asleep too long, looking for her chest going up and down. maybe i'm a little paranoid, but better safe than sorry in my book. anyway, that being said, i think i can convince myself that the odds of her surviving increase as she ages, and i'm going to use this year mark as a means of validating that position and relaxing a bit.

i'm so in love with her it's breathtaking. she gets more fun and interesting every day and i can't wait to see what the next year will hold. she's the funniest and prettiest thing in the world and i couldn't be happier to have shared this year with her and my perfect wife.