It seems like just yesterday when I came into the world with a scream, but it's already been a year. Tomorrow may be my first birthday, but today this blog has delivered on its promise of 365 pictures.
What a joy it's been. The best part was knowing how many of you came to see my pictures everyday and got a laugh or a smile from it.
Don't worry, I guess I've become too popular for "Helen of Wichita" to simply come to an end. So if you've enjoyed watching me grow up, you'll still be able to come here and have a peek.
(Sept. 1, 2011)
Dear Helen,
ReplyDeleteSo many people have been able to enjoy looking at this blog over the last year and to say it’s brought a lot of smiles would be putting it mildly.
But this blog, all of these pictures and all of this work, was all for you. Someday you’ll be able to look back in wonderment over this record of the first year of your life and you’ll be able to see just what a joy you have been for so many. Hopefully you’ll be able to see something that I’m certain of: The person you will become was already showing itself in these photographs.
Some day you’ll be able to look at this collection of words and pictures and all of us will be able to see your reaction and relive the joy of these moments all over again. I can’t hardly wait for that day.
You’ve been the perfect baby. You smiled and laughed all the time. You were patient. You rarely cried. You slept peacefully and often. You were healthy. I could go on and on, but the truth is, you made it easy on your mother and I.
I know that you’ll continue to bring joy to the people in your life because it just seems that it’s what you do. There’s something very, very special about you and it didn’t take long for all of us who love you to understand that. The early proof is in these pages.
Taking photographs that tell stories is what I’ve done for a living. I had taken hundreds of thousands of photographs before you came along and I’ll probably take hundreds of thousands more. But no set of photographs will mean more to me than ones on this blog.
You’re the best daughter anyone could ever hope to have and this first year of your life has been an amazing whirlwind of changes, including the changes to myself.
Your name means “Shining Light” and this blog stands as a testament that you were perfectly named.
I love you,
Dad
Travis, you're not supposed to make a mother cry before she's had her coffee.
ReplyDeleteHelen - Happy 1st Birthday! Thanks for giving me so many smiles, laughs and moments over this past year. You are a special girl. But then, you have a special Mom, so it figures! It's been so fun to get to know you and I can't wait to see you grow over this next year. Two will be here before we know it!
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