One Year

Okay, I really thought I scheduled this post to run on her birthday, but I just realized it never did.  Oops!  Here's the big one-year-old post (just a week late):

Bless you, baby girl, you have made it a full year.  I know it's God's grace to both of us because I can barely remember any of it.  Know what you got for your first birthday?  A double ear infection.  Happy Birthday!  Good news is that you perk right up as long as we keep the motrin flowing. 

Guess what else you learned to do this week?

That's right, you're a climbing fool!  Step ladders, playscape at the park, the dishwasher door...you're trying to climb everything these days.  Yesterday you figured out how to climb onto one of the little kiddie chairs in the kitchen.  First attempt, you stood up and shook the chair while holding onto the back.  Second attempt, you scooted it to the fridge, climbed up and started swiping all that stuff you know you're not supposed to have.  Unfortunately, this also means that we have passed the point of no return on spankings and you are earning them daily.

Still not walking.  Hallelujah, Amen!  But you're getting close.

You weighed in at 20lbs this morning when we went to the doctor.  Your well-check is next week, though, so we'll see then about height and percentiles, etc.  You're between 12- and 18-month sizes right now, so you're either wearing high-waters or low-riders on any given day.  The hair on top of your head continues to outpace the rest of your hair resulting in a troublesome reverse-mullet that does not play nicely with a drippy winter nose.  Hence all the photos of you with a top knot.  I think I'll attempt a trim now that you're one.  But I know it will really alter the shape of your precious little face to frame it in bangs, so I'm hesitant to snip away that baby charm.

You're so snuggly.  You love to give hugs and even attempt kisses.  You've started snuggling stuffed animals and it's so cute to see you shove a bear under your tummy and roll all over it.  You've picked a favorite and even named it.

That's Aida Monkey (pronouned "ate a monkey").  You called it that a few weeks ago when you reached for it in your bed, and now you ask for Aida by name.  What's so sweet is that you latched on to the one that A picked out for you on the day you were born.

Happy Birthday, C!  You are such a joy and delight--you climbing, squealing, snuggling little piece of heaven.  Here's to another twelve months of doing all the things that I read about in parenting books and never thought my children would do.