The Second Year... Happy Birthday Sunshine

Today my little Naomi turns 2 years old. I’ve spent the past two years sharing an experience with my wife Nadia that is hard to put into words - a shared feeling of amazement watching her grow. In that time, I’ve learned so much about life. Not just a perspective change, but an awareness change. You develop this lens that captures your world differently. Suddenly colors are more vibrant, sounds are more clear, the sun just that much warmer. It’s as if life grants you this second chance at experiencing all the things that make this world miraculous. One morning you wake up, and your baby girl is not a baby anymore. She’s this little person, full of curious spirit for the world around her, looking to me and all the people who love her to share in her world. What an amazing privilege for every parent. For this I will forever be grateful to my little Naomi and my wife. Happy Birthday sunshine. Thank you for two amazing years and for the lifetime of birthdays to come.   -Papa

 

A little toddler

It's been a long while since I've posted a video.  I admit, it's hard playing catchup to a little person running around.  Seems overnight that Naomi decided to graduate from infant-hood and start toddler-hood.  Funny how Mama and I always say that a certain age is our favorite.  We both definitely say it now.  I mean, how could you resist seeing a little human start to express in such a way and how could you not get amazed by how they must see the world.  I guess the right thing to say is not that we have a favorite age so far - I guess the right thing to say is that Naomi growing, and every phase that comes with that, is our favorite.  Here's a small video with Naomi sharing some of her toddler-hood.

IMG_1937.jpg

the first year - a very special birthday

Dear Naomi,

Today we celebrate your very first trip around the sun.  Today you turn 1 year old.  It's almost unreal to think that an entire year has passed.  It's been a year filled with so many feelings and emotions, above all, love.

I wish someone had told me how wrong I would be.  Wrong in thinking that I would be taking you on a journey, holding you close in my safe harbor as I usher you through your first year of life.  I wish I was told that in fact it would be you that would be holding my hand, showing me what life is actually all about.  

I wish someone had prepared me.  Prepared me for how endlessly I would fall deeper in love with you mother.  Watching her raise you is the most amazing thing I could ever witness her do.

No words can truly express how grateful and humbled I have been for the past year.  All I can say is that I hope you never stop holding my hand baby Naomi.  I hope that I am being a good Papa for you.  Thank you for making happiness not a choice, but a constant.

Happy birthday my love!​

love,

Papa  

​

facetime with grandpa

Dear Naomi,

What a world we live in - when a little face to face can happen from many miles away with the ones we love.  I can't even begin to imagine what ways your generation will have to communicate with one another.  From the look of it, I think both you and Grandpa enjoyed this time very much :)

love,

Papa

It's moments like these.

It's moments like these that fill my day.  Moments that warm my soul and nourish my life with so much love and joy.  To my wife and our precious baby Naomi, it may seem as though I am just having more fun with the camera as I sit in front of them focused on their every move, but what I wish they could feel is how I am in constant amazing of their being all in it's self.  The beauty which I see when I look at them living, glowing beautifully in the warm sun - it's as though I am witnessing the embodiment of life itself.  I am humbled with every breath that I take knowing that I have both of them in my life.  It's moments like these....moments like these that fill my day.

 

Naomi's first Christmas

Dear Naomi,
You were surrounded with love and with light.  It all seemed to happen so fast and as a father, trying to soak in every moment of what was your first Christmas with the family was as challenging as it was trying to capture everything I could with the camera.  It was amazing to see you absorbing everything.  You waved and smiled at everyone, instantly warming hearts.  You have that special something Naomi.  That special something that can't be captured on video or through a picture or written out in words.  You have a way of making our days and our lives that much brighter.  The best gift we all could have received this year was the time that was spent with you.  Watching you take some of your first steps in front of everyone not only caught your Mom and I by surprise, but literally was like watching another one of your little miracles unfolding before our eyes.  I was so happy that so many of our loved ones were there to witness it.  I know I will never manage to capture the magic that is you in these videos, but I hope that one day, when you look back at this and see this, that you recognize how much love you have been surrounded with since day one and also how much happiness and joy you bring into the world around you.  Thank you for making this the best Christmas ever for us and I can't wait for all the many more to come.  
love,
Papa