Maya is 2!!!!

today my little baby turns 2! wow, i can't believe how fast time has flown by. i've had her in my life for 2 years? it feels like it was just yesterday that i held her in my arms for the first time.

what can i say, there is so much that has gone on this last year. maya has become a very active little creature. i guess she takes after her mama....of course we have to go out in the world at least once a day. whether it's the library, play dates or just swinging in the park...we enjoy being out with other people.

i've been working for the last two weeks on maya's photo slide show. i did this last year and i decided to do it again this year. mostly i do it for her birthday party, so everyone can see a little piece of maya's life. it's been an emotional journey to go through all the photos, edit them down to a several hundred and select music to go along with it. the first year, she was a baby, growing, mostly in our arms, secure and protected, this last year she became a toddler, exploring and developing her personality.

we had a lot of first this last year.... first crawl, first swim, first flight in her own seat, first and hopefully last eye surgery, first time swinging and sliding at the park, first toddler gym class, first bits of "real" food, first tooth, first haircut, first splash pad, first theater show, first ear infection, first story time, first time eating sand, first push on her push toy, first bump on her head, first zoo visit...the list goes on and the stories with these firsts are what makes our ordinary life amazing.

i feel so blessed to have maya in my life. she is my muse. by simply being herself, she has created a new life for all of us. i would never change a thing about her, not her stinky feet, her obsession for signing time videos, or her extra chromosome. it is true, maya, "you raise me up, to be more than i can be," and for this i am eternally grateful.

the adventure continues...

(photos coming soon)