Today you are 1. Justin Trudeau is the Prime Minister, gas costs about $1.05/L, and if current trends continue, there soon likely won’t be any papers left for me to tell you what the front page story was.

Gone (mostly) are the tears, fears, and uncertainties of what your future holds, and in their place is hope. Hope for who you are now and who you will become. Hope for each day that we are blessed to have you with us. Hope that with each day you simply are, you are beating any odds that may have been stacked against you in those early days.

This past year began filled with a million “what-ifs” screaming inside my head, that are now merely whispers I have to strain to hear. Though each day is still uncertain, and your future is far from typical, I know that whatever comes, we’ll make it through together.

I honestly cannot remember where the past year has gone. It truly seems like yesterday when we discovered you’d be joining our family. And when our hearts were one. I can still remember seeing your face for the first time — that look of “Hey. What’s going on?” that you still get sometimes. And then you gave us the biggest scare of our lives.

My son, you are the kindest, gentlest, most sweetest soul I’ve ever met. You love bananas, berries, and eat turkey legs with an unrivalled gusto. You are walking, running, and can say “mama,” “dada,” and “ball.” You love to turn the pages of books, although you could care less about me reading them to you. You’re also the silliest little monkey, with the most infectious laugh. Your toothy little grin lights up my heart on even my darkest days.

I am so, so grateful to be your mama.

The joy you bring to our lives cannot be measured. Though words are my work, I am unable to find the ones to tell you how much you mean to me, to our family. We love you so much, my dear.

Happy first birthday, Charlie boy.