ONE

My Sweet Little G,

It is so hard to believe that a year has gone by since you came into this world.  Unbelievable!

Today as I was rocking you to sleep for your nap I happened to look up at the clock and it was 1:35.  This brought tears to my eyes because I realized that probably 365 days ago around that time I was more than likely looking into your cloudy blue eyes and holding you for the very first time.  I was listening to your small cry and thinking that it was the most beautiful sound in the whole world.  You have no idea how relieved and excited I was to meet you face-to-face.  Since mid-June you had been trying to work your way out and you had one tired Mama.  It was time for the contractions to stop and for life with my TWO girls to begin.  And begin it has....

You have filled our home with laughter more times than I can remember in the last year and I'm sure you will continue to do this.   One of your favorite past times these days is to make all of us crack up.  You are a girl of many, many faces from wrinkling up your nose and sticking out your tongue when you don't like something to your sly, mischievous faces that tell us you are going to be up to no good.  Oh how you look like your daddy and your Grammy when you are getting ready to be funny or tease someone and your eyes start to twinkle.  I can barely keep a straight face to scold you when you have been naughty and you know it.  If I say, "NO!" you just laugh and do it anyway.  You are a little jokester!!!  You remind us all to lighten up and laugh a bit...or a LOT!!

G in the past week you have begun to stand on your own.  A few weeks ago you would do this, but you had no idea that you were standing without support.  Now you are very aware of what you are doing, proud of yourself, and you look to your mama, daddy, or sister for cheers & claps each time you do this. I know that it is not long before you will be taking your first few wobbly steps and gaining just a bit more independence.  You will LOVE being able to chase your big sister.  Does she have any clue what she is in for???  I don't think so!  :)

The park has become a very exciting place for you.  We put shoes on you for the first time about 2 weeks ago so you could explore and you love the slides and swings.  You aren't too sure about the bouncy bridge when your sister is jumping as hard as she can, but if M is being nice and doing little jumps you think that it is highly hilarious.  You would crawl all over if Mama would let you, but since it grosses me out to let you crawl too much at the park, you will just have to wait until you are toddling around to do more exploring.

Besides who needs the park when you are climbing all over the place at home.  Your problem-solving skills are growing in leaps and bounds.  You have figured out how to climb on the stool to brush your teeth like a big girl.  You have figured out how to crawl onto a little chair and then the little table to see out the window and just today Daddy and I watched you push a chair up to Daddy's chair, crawl into the little chair, then up on to Daddy's lap so that you could see Papa on the computer screen.  What determination!!!  This scares Mama a little.  Your sister did not climb to get what she wanted.  Makes me wonder what kind of things you will be getting into.  Everything is my guess!!

At one you (just to name a few):

1. Like to listen to books and enjoy turning the pages for Mama.  Your favorite books as of now are Pajama Time by Sandra Boynton, and Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Bill Martin Jr.  You also enjoy any books with big pictures of animals (i.e. Can You Growl Like a Bear?  by John Butler, I Know a Rhino by Charles Fuge)
2. Enjoy any toys that can be stacked or put into & taken out of containers
3. Are very attached to your dolly that Grammy gave you for Christmas
4. Love faces and jewelry
5. Can say hi, all done (aw don), daddy (DA), mama
6. Have 4 teeth (2 on top, 2 on bottom) and enjoy brushing your own teeth, but hate it when Mama or Daddy have to do it
7. Are just now starting to wear size 12 month clothes
8. Still take 2 naps (usually from 9:30-11:30 & 2:00-4 or 4:30) and sleep from 7:30 at night until 7 or 7:30 in the morning
9. Sing with Mama and have just recently attempted to dance (but just a little because you'd rather sing)
10. LOVE to eat blueberries.  They are your favorite food right now.  If you see me put them in the grocery cart at the store you complain very loudly that you can't have them NOW.   

G, I am blessed beyond measure to call you my daughter, my baby girl, my beautiful gift from God.  I look forward to year 2 and all our new adventures.  

I love you bunches and bunches,

Your Mama