Dear Lily,

It is hard for your daddy and I to believe, but you are 4 weeks old today. You've been with us for a month, yet we can hardly remember what life was like before you. We were talking this morning about how you couldn't be more perfect and how lucky we are to be your mommy and daddy. It was like before you came to us, our lives were black and white, and now everything is in beautiful color. It is hard to explain. We dreamed of you for such a very long time and it was a really sad time for us, waiting for you. Now that you are here, we appreciate you SO much in ways we don't think we could have, if we hadn't been through the painful times we endured. We always want you to know how loved and wanted you are. Your family and friends love you so very much. They were spilling over with happiness for mommy, daddy and you. Your birth mommy and Grandma C love you very much, too. That is why they made the hard decision to give you a very special life with us.

There are so many things that we want to remember about your first month of life. Here are just a few:
Your fuzzy mop of blonde hair.
Your little belly button that hung on longer than most.
Your cute little grunts and sighs when you eat.
What a good nurser you are (I am adoptive breastfeeding).
Your adorable 5 minute stretching session each morning.
How well you can lift your head.
How you wake us up by cooing and grunting rather than crying (which mommy and daddy really appreciate).
Your spontaneous smiles in your sleep.
How you love to be held and fall asleep on daddy's chest.
How wonderful your daddy is, how he wants to hold you every second and doesn't even complain about diapers.
Your first hike, which happened to be at the new wooded property we were in the process of buying when we got you (aka Lily's Woods).
Your second hike, to check the bluebird boxes at the park.
How everywhere we go, people comment on how beautiful you are.

Here are some photos of you on your favorite blanket, the fuzzy one your birth grandma gave you.






And just for fun, here is daddy's stand at the farmer's market. Shortly after this, mommy made better signs with pictures of tomatoes.