Eighteen Months

I have so many wonderful memories of Julia from May of last year.  It was a really good month for us! We had lots of visitors -- grandparents, great-grandmother, great-aunt, friends of mine from college -- and I even went away for 2 days to attend the wedding of a dear friend.  Julia was a trooper!  She was also busy smiling away and playing and interacting.  These are some of the days I hold closest to my heart.  These days made all of the harder ones so very worth it.

Julia, you would be 18 months old today.  Every time I see a child around that age I am caught off guard. Not because you would look like them or be doing the same things if you were here, but because I imagine you that way now.  Eighteen months is a favorite age of mine for our other kids, and I am very sad to miss out on that stage of your life. I take comfort, though, in knowing that you are well and in knowing that you are no longer held back by your extra 18th chromosome.  We are celebrating your life, dear one, on May 30, just as we did one year ago. We love you very much!