To my daughter...

To my dear daughter, our daughter, their grand-baby, their niece, their cousin, with so many more things you already are and will become...

You turned 1 yesterday, I can't believe how quickly this year flew by. Although some individual days seemed so long...although some days I just wished you would fall asleep. Please just sleep for a long time so I could sleep or take a shower or clean the house or hold your baba's hand and breathe (I know mom..."poor EM"(note the intended sarcasm with four children under her belt).

Now that year has gone by I can't believe they are classifying you as a toddler on babycenter...What? My baby is a toddler now? OMGoodness...

Ohhh monkey how smart you are. You just don't miss a thing. A sponge. You are getting so very sassy. Some of those looks you give...SASSY...your blond eyebrows like mine are so expressive although you can't see them. You look out and down with those big black eyes from your baba, those long gorgeous lashes fanned around your furrowing brow. Stick out that pouty bottom lip. oh.oh.oh...

You can smile so big like Grandpa, a big square smile. Your four teeth always cross just a little bit when your smile extends over that cute face. Scrunching up your nose melts my heart. Pointing that fat little crooked finger towards what you see, or learned or want to do next.

Everyone who new your Ali dede well says you resemble him so...Maşallah...

You have been walking for a while now, still trying to attain confidence in your new skills, still prefer one finger to hold(preferably your mother's), so you can really go anywhere you want...little miss...you know we will come along...my child.
It is either standing or sleeping for you...on the move...

We had a great summer at grandma's house; sucking on sweet clovers that grandpa had planted in the grass unknowingly just for you. Your fat little hanies loved to POP the heads off big smelly yellow marigolds and into your mouth for a little taste(It's ok...Auntie Maudie said they are edible:). Your eagle eyes sifted through the green grass for acorns between watching the squirrels frolic and your mama watching you so you wouldn't eat the acorns like the squirrels do.


Taking a break from the wonderful grass between your toes, you ate fresh tomatoes from grandma's garden and cut teeth on Minnesota sweet corn on the cob over the picnic table in great-grandma and great-grandpa's high chair all tied up with a dish towel. Lots of precious bottoms have occupied that space.



You love dental floss(that slight minty flavor) and toothbrushes(Nanc is so proud).

We went down to Brazil for your Uncle Lukey and Mimi's wedding(thank goodness our visas came the LAST day possible...ekkk...thank goodness your baba is so wonderful and express mailed all our paperwork). You did great on the plane as you are becoming a professional flier at such a young age(or I am I just becoming a more confident distractor?). It was easier with grandma flying beside us. She has so many tricks up her sleeve(The Master Distractor, The Baby Whisperer)...



In Brazil you played on Impanema Beach. Glorious sand. You ate lots of fresh bananas and coconut popsicles. Auntie Meggy and Uncle Justin were the best helpers! We just kept saying "oh they will be the best parents one day" and... little did we know your cousin was in Brazil with us...he or she we will meet in February:)!!!!



Auntie Maria's Family was wonderful to us in Brazil, so hospitable and we all got along so well. They all enjoyed your company so much. The wedding was breathe taking at the foot of Sugarloaf Mountain and we danced the day away together. Later we went to Buzios peninsula. You took some of your first steps there.



Your dear Great-Aunties are feeling better having, please god, won against the f-ing breast cancer. We spent lots of days at Auntie Janie's eating yellow squash and admiring her new hair style-"very chic" :)

Although it was wonderful rooming with Grandma and Auntie Maudie we had to get back to Turkey to see your baba...

Auntie Maudie had to go embrace her youth; hiking and kayaking all over Alaska. She is having a wonderful amazing time there, happily "together" with her man in their element, enjoying nature...to quote her, "Like Minnesota on crack"- I get it...sounds gorgeous...

So for now doll we are back in Turkey with your dear dear baba. You have started dancing and it is as cute as it gets...Your babaanne sings a song or you hear even a good ringtone and you sway and jiggle. You just figured out this little knee bend jig thing...

One year has gone by with you in it and I feel so blessed. One year gone by also means without grandpa. One year gone by and it still really hurts that he is gone but doll you are sunshine in those voids. Although, my doll, every year at your birthday I will think grandpa died just 9 days later, and Dede just 6 weeks after that...I don't ever want you to feel like your life being synonymous with death as a sad thing; just the circle of life, living life to the fullest and as grandma keeps saying..."To count your blessing" and doll girl...

I love you (more than you or I have yet to know)

So this year on your first birthday it seemed only right to celebrate on the blue water where your name comes from...having some of your first cake...on a boat on the Aegean with one great side of your family.



Anything else anyone might want to add?