My dear Campbell,
It's hard to believe that on this day you are turning two. Two years old! It sounds so grown up, so not a baby anymore. At two years old, you are the funniest, sweetest, most darling little girl I have ever known. Mommy and Daddy are constantly proud of your sweet nature and the love you show to other people. May God continue to cultivate that sweet heart of yours and the gifts He has determined to give you. As amazing as we already think you are, we are excited to watch you become the person He created you to be.
The past year has been filled with milestones, wonderful moments, and challenges. At 13 months you started walking (out of nowhere one day!) and we endured a UTI (that came with a 106 fever!). This was mommy's first indication that things weren't quite right with you.
(First Day as a walker!)
You spent much of the summer (months 14-16) sick. You seemed to catch every virus and were never able to shake stuff off. While we had some great times in the midst of that, we became increasingly more concerned about your health. You began to pick up more and more words, fell so in love with your Jo, and became a big fan of "num-num" (soy milk).
In October, at 17 months, we began the most difficult journey we have ever walked. As I have reflected on your past year lately, I have been overwhelmed with emotions about these things we faced. In the week before you were hospitalized, you became very very sick. I recently looked at this picture of you on my phone and the reality of how bad you were hit me pretty hard.
In the weeks we spent at the hospital, you were amazing. Your sweetness was evident, in spite of the difficult things you had to endure. I will never forget you being so sick, hooked up to a million wires, laying in your bed in the PICU and dancing while your Aunt Amy fed you bites of your first meal in a week. You amaze me little girl.
On October 28th we finally received some answers and on November 2nd we finally brought you home. I would be lying if I said those first few weeks home weren't hard. You were traumatized, scared of your bed, the highchair, and being left alone for a second. Your daddy and I felt scared at every rise in number of your blood pressure, that we would end up right back where we started. Over time you showed us how resilient you are. By Christmas we were marveling at how "normal" you had become, how much more active you were than before you got sick, and how your language (and hair!) were increasing more and more.
At 20 months (January) you had a language explosion. Seriously. I have never seen anything like it. You began to pick up words at an astonishing pace, form sentences, and astound us with the things you probably knew long before you could verbalize them. At 21 months we found out you would be a big sister! Although you tell me "big sister", I know you probably don't understand. You have been wanting to touch, look at, and kiss mommy's growing belly though.
In the past few months, you have become increasingly more like a big girl. You form sentences that amaze us, understand the world around you so much (lots of pretend play!), and look more like a kid than a baby. You are still the sweetest girl, although we have learned that you are somewhat of an introvert.
We are so proud of you little girl. Not many children go through what you have in their second year of life. You have shown so much joy in the midst of things that were remarkably hard and continue to grow into an amazing little person. We are blessed that you are ours.
Love,
Mommy and Daddy
