It's Gobbles Time!: One Year!

You will always have a part of me

That nobody else is ever gonna see but you and me

My little girl...

- Ben Folds

Dear Lil Lobster Roll,

I cannot believe it. You're an entire year old already. Just like that. Thank you for being the most amazing baby ever. It was a stressful year for our little family but you managed to keep us smiling throughout all of it, an easy going (most of the time!) little girl who communicates exactly what you want and need to keep happy.

You are the little ray of sunshine in our household and your grin that melts my heart every. single. time. Your smile is so wide that your eyes are forced shut and you have a genuine belly laugh that energizes a room, and a shriek of delight that makes your brother cover his ears because of the deafening pitch.

You are talking up a storm, with a few actual words including momma, dada, yea, no, hi, bye, and tickle. You are very close to saying you dog (ok not really, you point to them- "aye"), and even closer to saying your big brothers name. Last week at swim lessons when you and I were practicing your "scoot" in the class, Daddy and your brother were playing on a kickboard in the lap lane behind us. You stopped your scooting - looked up and waved, yelling "nahhhnan!!!", which is close! You were just so happy that you spotted him you had no more interest in your class. That's pretty much how things are at home too, following your big brother around - whatever he's playing with you want too.

We had your 1 year appointment and you are 30" tall, 19 lbs 11oz (let's just say 20 for argument's sake), and have a 17 3/4 " head. 75th percentile height, 50th for weight. My little peanut, so different from your giant 25 lb brother at the same age. You're climbing steps and cruising like you're going to walk tomorrow. You've taken 2 steps by yourself but as soon as you realize your doing it you hover for a second then drop to the floor. Come on lady - confidence! I keep trying to encourage you by holding your hand and walking around, but as soon as I start to pry my fingers out, you grab on with your other hand, having become wise to what I'm doing.

You LOVE to wave, which you've been doing for months now, you do not clap or dance nearly as much as your brother did, but they come out occasionally. You enjoy blowing kisses but even moreso you love to open mouth anyone who asks for a kiss. You basically will bite their face off, learned from your pal in crime Cannoli. Speaking of the dogs, we've been practicing gentle touches so you're getting to the point where they enjoy your pat. You also love your bedtime stories, currently Puppy Love (touch & feel), and Goodnight Moon. Every time we get to goodnight mouse, you excitedly point to it and keep turning the page back to point again.

Oh, and your tongue? You have the longest tongue in the world, like a little lizard. Gross to say, but as you would sneeze this week that tongue would come right out to catch whatever you lost... And at swimming lessons you lap up the water as you swim through, or after I dunk you under. It's out when you're smiling, when you're sad, and especially when you're determined. I know when you're older you'll be that girl who has her tongue out of the corner of her mouth when she shoots a basketball, or is working hard on an art project.

And just this week, your birthday week, you cut your two top teeth with the other two top following closely behind. I didn't even realize it until you bit me one night - ouch! So a grand total of 4 teeth at the 1 year mark, another thing a little behind your brother, but that's fine. You're mastering the sippie cup and I'm hoping by the end of next week to have weaned from the bottle, already not in use during the day. We need to work on your spoon handling skills a little more but you're just about down to 1 nap a day so you're ready to graduate from the infant room at school.

As far as your actual birthday celebration, you took after your momma. Like me at my first birthday (as grandmom kept reminding us), you were sick for your own party. Not sick sick, but enough to be a snot princess with runny nose and red eyes. Mommy and Daddy spent all week cooking and cleaning and decorating in order to try and make your party perfect, but we failed when it came to assembling you for the day. You woke up a sniffly mess so we kept you home from swimming and tried hard to get an extra long nap. That failed so we tried hard to dress you up all pretty. Somehow we lost one of your minnie mouse shoes (which I found the next night in Gobble's hamper) so you were all disheveled. Your skirt, a Christmas gift from one of your aunts, was something I neglected to try on your prior but was determined to get you to wear anyway. And finally, when it came to singing happy birthday to you, the Mickey & Minnie party hats that I had HUNTED for weeks ago sat neglected in the dining room because I was too concerned with wiping your nose and keeping you from sneezing on the desserts.

But, I think you had fun. The aforementioned little imperfections thrown in to the party just made your party all the more unique and memorable. Most of your friends were there and you got to play a little bit with everyone. You were hesitant with your smash cake at first, but then, when I wasn't looking (cutting up the cake for your guests), you jumped right in and couldn't get enough! What mattered most was that the people you love were there, and they love you so very much.

I am so blessed to be your mommy Lil Lobster Roll, thank you for being such a wonderful little girl. I love you munchkin.

Love,
Momma