Just for the record...

You took a step today all by yourself. You were holding onto your Poppy's knee, and then you wanted to go elsewhere, so you did. This is not to say that you walk wbout the house now. You do, however, take a step now and then, just for fun. Then you laugh and laugh....

I love watching you grow up!

Love,
Mom

Leaps and Bounds

Today you decided to do all kinds of things you've never done before. You decided to stack blocks. You decided to nest your stacking cups. You decided that rolling cars and balls to other people is fun. All in the space of a day.
And walking! Not that you can do it by yourself yet, but holding on to our hands and goose-stepping around the room is apparently high-larious. You giggle and giggle. If you have somebody to walk towards you laugh harder and walk faster. I can't communicate how cute you are.

Love you so much!
Mom

Happy Birthday!

In the space of a year you've grown from a tiny peanut to the dynamic baby who's trying to stand up all by herself. A year ago it almost made me cry to look at the little wrinkles on your elbows. You were so tiny! I wanted to fatten you up immediately- inject you with chubbs. Nowadays looking at you still makes me want to cry sometimes, but it's because I'm just so pleased with how much you've grown.

You've learned to crawl, to pull up, and to wave "Hi!". Sometimes you hold a blanket up and play peek-a-boo with it. You know who Poppy, Bubba and Doggie are, but you haven't deigned to say their names yet. You prefer to growl like a Monster baby. Rar. Rarrr! The only word you say is "Mmmmmm", which means everything that goes in a mouth. I'm not complaining, it's progress. You love, love!!, to try to stand up in the middle of the room without holding on to anything. The wobbly feeling you have as you try to find your balance makes you laugh and laugh.

This week you've decided that laying in my arms to drink your bottle is a pleasure. This is a change from recent weeks when drinking a bottle was Such A Chore, as there were a million more interesting things to do and explore. Apparently you've realized that drinking in my arms is a good way to recharge. Feel the love. Find your zen. Ahhhh.

You've got six teeth, which you use to try and bite anyone who crosses you. I took a piece of paper you were chewing out of your mouth. You cried and pulled my hand into your mouth and bit it. You were crying and shaking with the effort. Willful!

You've given us our share of worries this year, but you're a tough little git. I don't think you're half the delicate flower we sometimes fret over. I think many of your tears aren't as much about pain as they are anger.

Here's hoping your next year is every bit as fruitful as your first.
Love,
Mom

Hurray!

What a big girl you are! This Friday I took you to the physical therapist, more to show you off than to excersize you. You seemed pleased with yourself too, and didn't hesitate to show her how you could crawl (Crawl!) now.

More than that even!

One day your Daddy sat you in the crib, then sat down on our bed to chat with me. I looked over and there you were, standing in your crib. "Did you put her in there like that?" I asked? "No I did not!" he said. Holy Pete! Crawling and pulling to standing, all in the space of a week.

And just to put a cherry on top, you sprouted another tooth.

I'm so pleased with what you've pulled off this week.

Love,
Mom

Sicko

Oh daughter that I love, it's a good thing that you are so, so cute, because you have been a very needy thing this week. You couldn't help it though, and we really don't blame you. You were miserable sick with a cold. Your nose ran. You wouldn't eat. You had a fever. You didn't feel good and you were cutting a tooth on top of all of this.

Every four hours or so I would have to give you medicine, but you hate how it tastes, and you would gag (if I was lucky) or barf (if I wasn't). I learned to try and slip it into your bottle, but that meant you had to drink all of the bottle I put it in, and you were really uninterested in eating.

Your cold was not put on hold at night, which meant that you still needed loving and holding and rocking almost every hour. Someday you will have children, and they will get sick, and you will find yourself at your wits end. Remember this: It won't last forever. Your kiddo will get better, just like you did. You can make it through any hardship if you know there's an end in sight.

Love you all to pieces,
Mom

Sweet Pea

Can you tell how cute I think your Halloween outfit was?

The cutest ever.

I don't have any pics of your Brother in a sweet pea suit, even though I was dying to put him in one when he was little. At the time they were more expensive and I had less money. The suit put me in a mood to compare how things were for you and your brother. You play with some of his old baby toys, much like he played with his aunt and uncle's old toys. You get your belly kissed by your Daddy, while his Daddy had only seen him twice by the time he was one. Of course, he had me all to himself for sixish years, which is something you'll never have. He was the healthiest, happiest baby ever, while you find a new way to worry us almost every month. And last but not least, both he and you had 11-ish year old boys loving you all to pieces.

Your brother loves you so much. Sometimes he cries because he worries that he won't be a good brother to you someday. I don't even know what he could mean. He tickles you and feeds you even when it bores him to tears. One time he accidentally bumped your head, and he cried harder than you did. I suppose one day you guys will have your moments, but you'll have to take my word for it that he babied you hard when you were tiny.

Love you,
mom

In which my Mom comes to visit

This week has been a doozy. Your grandmother came for a visit, and instead of greeting her with a giggle and a coo you cried at her, which was the first time you'd shown any signs of having stranger anxiety. If she or her husband talked to you from across the room, you'd smile coyly, then bury your face in my chest. And you were always burying your face in my chest because you would not let me put you down. Eventually you warmed up though, and sat in her lap and pulled at her face and anything else nearby. You warmed up to her husband to the point you'd cry if he left the room. Go figure!

You went to physical therpay for the first time this week. You cried at the therapist, of course, she being a stranger. Since you wouldn't let her anywhere near you, she got out a baby doll so she could show me the moves. You were so excited. You bounced up and down and stuck out your tongue- sure signs you're pleased. When we go to the hippy mom's club meetings you get excited to see the babies there too, but I won't let you stick your fingers in their eyes or bite their hands. This baby was much more fun.

After therapy, Mom and her husband took you to Walmart to pick out a baby doll of your own. You are very pleased with it. I have to admit, though, that your favorite toy of all is The Tag. The tag on the butt of the doll, or the bunny, or the boppy, or your clothes, or the blanket. You loves you some Tag. Ribbons are good too; some of your toys have a ribbon on them and you'll happily suck on those too.

Hope you stay this easily amused,
Love,
Mom