It was Bella's first birthday today and we celebrated with cake and ice cream, balloons and lots of presents. Even if we'd wanted to keep the celebrations to a bare minimum, the rest of our family and friends wouldn't have let us. It's not every day someone hits that milestone age of one!

As I was standing in the kitchen watching her merrily dig into a piece of cake and some ice cream, I found myself remembering all those other smaller but no less important milestones we've encountered over the past twelve months - the first time she slept on her tummy, that first toothless smile, the first word.

And once again I found myself wondering if this is the last time I'm going to get to see those first. If I'm being logical, I already have been blessed three times over. But then again I do have quite the reputation for being impulsive, don't I?

Happy birthday, darling Bella. I wish for you a hundred more birthdays just as joyous as this one.