To Baby Sister on her first birthday

Dear Baby Sister,

Please read this and know that I, in fact, DO love you as much as your older sister even though you did not get even an attempt at a baby book documenting your first year, I have not scrapbooked a single page about your life, and I only got your pictures professionally taken once after that initial shoot at the hospital this past year.  I know that in the angst of your teen years you will look back on these facts - facts which I do not dispute - and somehow use them against me as proof that your Daddy and I don't love you.  Here is proof that it is not true that I can then throw back at you - although if you remain as much like me as I fear, it won't matter anyway. 

When your sister was born we didn't really know what we were doing.  So we did all the things that "people" said were important and looking back were kind of a waste of money in most cases.  Your sister, yes, has a baby book but it isn't even filled out all the way.  Don't believe me? Go check.  Your sister, yes, had her photos taken at Kiddie Kandids like every three months but they are all still sitting in the envelope rotting away since we always bought way too many.  I was a photographer for many years, your snapshots ARE professional photos and there are tons of them.  Your sister, yes, has pages in a scrapbook with things that happened but it ends at about 9months old when I decided it was a losing battle to learn to love doing it.  And you know what?  We didn't actually do as many things back then as you are getting to do.  You see, both of your parents are older and wiser and have figured out what is important in life.  So now, instead of sitting around eating processed food and watching life go by while you smile pretty for the camera and play nearby while I scrapbook, we are doing things as a family like going to the gym, hiking, taking trips to visiting family and see the country.  And even better, we are playing with you on the floor because we can.  So hopefully you will understand and look back on the memories we are making together as a family and cherish them as much as I do.

Love,
Mommy