Happy Birthday to Buggie!

To My Sweet Angel Baby,

I can't believe you're already one.  This past year, although at times hard, exhausting and overwhelming, have been all that I ever dreamt of.  Daddy and I wanted you so badly.  We went through so much before finally becoming pregnant with you.  Although SIF was a difficult journey, I wouldn't trade one day if it, because we got you!  You were picked just for us!

You are the sweetest little baby.  You have a very even temper, are always in a good mood, and smile and laugh constantly.  You are a ray of sunshine in our lives, and when days are hard you always remind us to slow down, enjoy the simple things and smile.  Mimi says you're easy!

Your laugh is one that makes others chuckle.  It's short and rapid-fire.  So cute!  Even at 1, you give the greatest hugs.  I look forward to getting them every day.  When I arrive to pick you up, walk around the corner or get you up in the morning, you reach out to me, but only with one hand :)  Soothing yourself is all about your hair, or mine.  I always know when you're upset, frustrated, angry or tired, because you put those hands right in your hair.  At one, you eat more at meals than your big brother.  It's amazing, sometimes we just can't seem to get you full.  When food is being prepared you cry and whine, almost saying "give me that NOW".  During bath time, you splash, laugh, and play.  You will cry and then crawl away from me while I'm trying to take you out and dry you.  You are mommy's little shadow, and I wouldn't have it any other way.  Although you constantly want to be held, you're also quite a wiggle worm, and want to be in the action at all times.  You're a complete breeze in the car, completely content and either not making a peep, or laughing and interacting with your brother.  Those are some of my favorite times, when you and your brother hold hands in the backseat or just make each other laugh uncontrollably on our way home for the day.  I often tear up.  Babies are of no interest to you, nor are stuffed animals.  You throw them to the ground in protest, then go grab a car.  Those big blue eyes and toothless grin are to die for.  You light up a room.  You will dance/sway to anything that even resembles music.  You love to boogie.  It's adorable.

We are truly in love with you, all of us.  Your big brother, who likes to call you Brynleigh Annie or baby girl, ADORES you!  You light up our lives, complete our family and constantly remind us to slow down and enjoy the simplicities of life.  What an amazing gift you were to our family of three.  We love you!  Happy Birthday sweet buggie!

Age: 1 year old!  ::gasp::

Stats: Tomorrow is her appt.  I think she'll be around 18.5lbs.

Size (diapers, onesies, etc.): Baby girl is wearing a range.  She's still wearing a lot of 9 month clothes, but wears some 12 and some 12-18.  Diapers are size 3's still.

Sleeping: Besides sometimes being difficult to put down (hubs drives her in the car 1-2 times per week lately to get her to fall asleep) she does fairly well.  B is a restless sleeper and wakes up frequently to moan, cry or move around.  But 9 times out of 10, she puts herself back to sleep.

Eating: I made it...1 year breastfeeding.  I'm incredibly proud of us, and happy I did it for her and her health.  I hung up my pump for good this past Friday, and gave her the last frozen milk on Saturday (her bday).  She's been breastfeeding 1-2 times per day still, but we're on mostly wcm now.  For her days with Mimi, we'll be changing her eating schedule gradually this week so she is only getting 2 bottles a day, the rest in a sippy.  Right now she gets two bottles and two breastfeeding sessions.  We'll be dropping one of those this week.  Otherwise, this girl is a complete pig!!!  3 meals and 2 snacks, going strong.  You should have seen this girl put down her birthday cupcakes!

Milestones:
1. clapping (this week!) and saying yaaaaaaa!

2. cruising

3. walking confidently with walker

4. being able to get down from standing position in bed

5.  pulling to a stand with ease

6.  wcm in a sippy

7.  signing "more" and trying to say "thank you"

8.  waving bye-bye

9. tons of babbling in her own little language

10.  peek-a-boo with a blanket over her head

Favorite toys/activities: Activity tables are high right now, her walkers, and anything that will talk to her and/or play music so she can dance.

Here are a few photos of her on her actual birthday. 

Dinner with the fam.  Mimi and Papa also have birthdays the two days before. 

 

 Mini cupcake at dinner

 She didn't like it at all... :)

 On her birthday morning I put a bunch of balloons on her floor for when she woke up.

Birthday breakfast and a small sneak-peek of her bday decor on her high chair

The rest of the weekend was spent preparing for, hosting and cleaning up after B's secret garden first birthday party.  I'm so glad it's over, but I was really happy with how it turned out.  I'll post birthday party pictures in my next post. 

One other big event this weekend was T's first baseball pictures.  I know I'm biased, but when he came home in his new uniform, I actually CRIED!  He looked adorable!  My big boy!  ::swoon::  I'm officially a team cobras fan! :)

Can't wait to show you how a garden threw up in my house.