The Del Curto Family: Happy First Birthday Sophia

Dearest Sophia,

This year has gone by so fast. It seems like days ago, not one year, that we were flying over pot holes to get to the hospital. At about 6:30pm on August 14th I was chatting on the phone to your Yaya when POP!!!!! my water broke right then and there on the couch. I frantically washed up, shaved my legs, and polished my piggies while Yaya tried to keep me calm. When your Daddy got home from work he was in for a BIG surprise. With bags already in the car, I announced that my water had broke and the Hospital L&D was waiting on us to arrive.

We hurried off on the MOST exciting adventure of our lives. The birth of our first baby girl! Your Dad was driving safely but very very quickly, as we flew threw stop lights and were air born at several points in the journey. My contractions were literally 2 minutes apart, and VERY painful. We arrived safely and were now waiting on your arrival. Even at that moment, we never knew just how much we were going to love you. My contractions were very close, and very painful. Drugs helped, but soon wore off and the second dose was no match for the contractions. Finally, at 1am I met the man of my dreams, the anesthesiologist!!! From that point on it was a breeze.

After 15 minutes of pushing you were born at 8:13am on 8/15/09 weighing 6 lbs 13 oz and 19 inches long. There you were, my heart, the most perfect being my eyes had ever beheld. So tiny, so new, so fresh from Heaven. I did not cry when I first saw you, but my Momma instinct kicked in from the moment you were born. I had an urgency to feed you, take care of you, and protect you. After we cuddled and nursed, the nurses finished testing and discovered you had low blood sugar. You were whisked away to have a giant IV placed in your head, I cried for the first time.

The first couple of days were difficult because you were not feeding well. They had to give you the bottle to help with low blood sugar and you were having some trouble breast feeding. By Tuesday, many lactation visits, and plenty of tools, you were finally breastfeeding and off the bottle.

We brought you home on Sunday. You were a wonderful little newborn. You slept all the time and cried when you were hungry or tired. A couple of weeks later your naps went haywire and you were a little fussy, but reflux medicine helped.

Your Daddy and I loved every minute of your first year. It was hard and required much sacrifice, but it was worth it. By 8 months your reflux was gone and by 5 months you were finished with physical therapy for torticollus.

We love you so! You bring so much joy to so many people. You are a spunky determined little girl who loves to read, talk, run, and play wit your Daddy. You are my heart, walking around outside my body. How can someone possess such a deep love. I feel closer to my Heavenly Father because of you. I now know a little of the love he has for us. I could not imagine loving you anymore, but everyday I do. My heart should burst...but my capacity to love just continues to grow. I love you and your Daddy so...