Our little girl is one!

My goodness, how the time has flown. We celebrated Bella's first birthday yesterday (many thanks to our friends and family who came to help us celebrate - we'll get those photos up soon) and had just a great time.

Anyway, here's a few random thoughts about her first year, fatherhood, and being the luckiest man in the world...

- I am constantly amazed at how smart Bella is. Her problem solving skills are off the charts (like moving my hand out of the way so she can eat her own Cheerios) and she gets smarter every day. I always thought we'd have a really smart child, but damn, she's fast approaching genius territory.

- She's so good and calm in groups of people, even strangers. She'll get a bit quiet, but she's never intimidated, she just likes to watch and see what's going on.

- Jesus Christ, she bites like a Terminator! I swear I thought she bit my finger off the other day.

- If this child isn't a singer, then I'll be totally shocked. Besides the obvious bloodlines (Trish, bless her, sings like an angel, as do her parents) Bella just seems to have a musical lean. We were going to another birthday party for her last week, and while crossing the street, she made a noise, just a little "coo." Upon hearing her echo, she really reached back and belted a few notes to hear the echo again. It was beautiful. Reminded me of one of our Uncle Tom's stories in his book, Ordinary Genius, about a little girl finding her voice. I've also noticed how much louder Bella can be than other kids (seriously, she's got some pipes!). Her shrieks and yells carry a hint of musicianship that makes me think her love of the arts and music is genuine and true, and not just her dad hoping all of these things for her (in addition to hoping she gets her mom's voice, and not mine!).

- I love cooking new things for her, and hoping she likes them. She is my truest food critic!

- It's amazing how much strength I gather from her. It's been no secret that it's been a hard year for our family, full of loss and sorrow. But somehow, when all feels lost, and I worry that our world is crumbling around us, she'll do something so amazing, so loving, that I just know it's going to be alright (and it has). I worry what would have happened had I lost my job and not had her to ground and focus me, in addition to the never-ending love and patience Trish gave me. She can't yet know what she's done to make me a better person, but I hope to have the chance to show her for the rest of my life.

- I dare anyone to find anything cuter than a one year old starting to dance. You won't!

- It's also been a truly fantastic experience to watch Trish become a mother. My God, that woman is a saint, and is such an amazing mother to Bella, and wife to me. Through thick-and-thin, for better and for worse, I know that I can count on her to be the rock that we (Bella and me) need to lean on from time to time. I know I'm terribly spoiled to have such a fantastic, beautiful and talented wife and such an amazing baby girl. My life truly is happiness defined.

- To my wife and daughter, I love you more than anything and live each day for you. You are my all, and I can't wait for everything that is to come in our lives. I love you both so much.