Letters to Liza (12 months!)

Baby Girl,

You are 1 year old! I can hardly believe how quickly this year went by, but at the same time I am in awe of how much has happened in such a short time! You are truly a wonder, amazing me more and more each day.

 

You started your time on this earth so small and helpless, and while you still require much help, you do so many things on your own! You are a wiggly ball of energy. You know what you want and you are determined to get it! At the same time however, I can already see how you are sensitive to the direction that we give you. Gently correcting you along the way, you get frustrated when you don't get your way. But it doesn't take long for you to move onto a new thing.



You understand what we say to you. Today, in fact, I told you that your baby was crying and she needed a hug and kiss. What did you do? You crawled over to your baby across the room, leaned down and gave her a kiss. Such a gentle spirit! You will rock your baby and feed her the bottle. Sometimes you like to try and drink the bottle yourself ;) You also like to try out the baby's paci and wonder why it won't fit in your mouth... you look at it as if to say, "What is wrong with this nuk?!" :)



At your 1 year appointment, you were 25lbs 5oz and 31 inches long. Only half and pound and half an inch in the last 3 months! Boy am I glad you slowed with your growing, because if you had continued on the curve the first 3 months plotted, you would have been a 40lb 1 year old. Yikes!



While I was taking your birthday pictures, you were quite insistent that you wanted to snuggle with Eleanor. I tried many distracting tactics...



...but none would do...



Ahhhhh... finally ;)

It's always been hard to take your pictures, but for different reasons! When you were tiny, it was hard because there was such a small window where you were awake and happy. Now it is hard because I am constantly chasing after you to plop you down and take the picture quickly before you move again! It was easiest from about the time you were 6-10 months... since that is when you learned to crawl ;)



You sign a few things, mostly just "all done." Sometimes you will sign "more" and less often still you sign "please." I am trying to teach you a couple new signs to help you communicate even better.

Right now your bedtime is between 730-8 and you will sleep all night long until between 7-8. You take 1 nap a day, though sometimes you sneak in a morning nap ;) It's so precious. You will snuggle up with anything close by and put yourself right to sleep. However, your favorite thing to fall asleep with is your beloved elephant Eleanor. She is where it's at. The other day, I forgot to bring her along and we visited some friends. You had to take a nap and it did not go over well. I tried to give you some other soft cuddly bears, but you cried a lot and kept saying, "NaNa naNa naNa!"



Currently as I write this, you are cuddling a toy lantern...

You are eating all kinds of food now! You have for the most part said goodbye to pureed food. Though I will often still give you fruit and oatmeal for breakfast. It just seems an appropriate breakfast food, and you like it. There really isn't anything you can't or don't eat. Though I did give you a tuna fish sandwich the other day and you were very adamant that you were not going to eat it. I can't complain though. You eat all kinds of healthy food. You also love the unhealthy stuff, but seriously, who doesn't?



Truly, Baby Girl, you are the joy of your Daddy's and my hearts. We love you sooooo much and are so thankful that God gave you to us to watch over. You are such a big girl with so much personality! We have stood in awe watching you grow this last year and have begun to realize just how much we don't understand about raising children... We are doing the best we can though, with God's help. And we talk all the time about how to raise you best... we only want the best for you. But as you begin your second year here with us, I pray that God will continue instilling His joy in your heart and spirit and teach you how to love others the way He loves us!

Love you so much Baby,

Mama and Daddy