Happy Birthday Addy!

As I type this, Addy is a little less than 48 hours away from turning one! I can't believe it! When I had her, for some reason I thought that it wouldn't fly by as fast as Emmy's first year did. I figured that since I already knew how fast everything went, I would enjoy it more and it would slow down. I really have enjoyed her first year probably even more than I did Emmy's, but just the fact that I'm SO much busier than I was when Emmy was a baby is probably the reason why it has flashed before my eyes.



I thought for this day, I would write out all of the memories I could think of off the top of my head of her first year. I hope that when she gets older, she will look back at this in her scrapbook and know how loved and cherished she was from the moment that I saw those 2 little lines!



*When I gave birth to you. It was SO much more relaxed than when Emmy was born. I watched you being born in a mirror and held you immediately. I probably held you for at least thirty minutes like that with a blanket over you keeping you warm. Those moments were so precious and we were in love with you, just like we were the moment we met your sister.

*The morning you met Emmy she ran into the room and jumped on the bed with us. When you started to cry/grunt, she started singing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" and you immediately calmed down. I hope that you girls will always have that special relationship like your Aunt Nah-Nah and I do.

*We went to Target on the way home from the hospital and got Emmy a doctors kit from you so that she could help take care of you. When we got out of the car, we gave it to her and told her it was from you. She immediately said "Thank you, Addy!." She still uses that kit to this day to help take care of you if you are sick!

*The night we brought you home from the hospital you slept until about 5AM. You woke up, ate, then went right back to sleep. That morning Daddy and Emmy got up and left us in bed. We cuddled until 11AM. It was SO sweet!

*When you were about 8 weeks old, we traveled to GA for the weekend so that Daddy could fill in for Mr. Ron at his church in Rockdale. You slept all through the night in an unfamiliar place! I was so thankful!

*We started Mother's Day Out when you were about 8 weeks old and I worked in your class all year long. You changed so much from October to May. It was so much fun to see you go from a little lump that didn't care about what was going on to a crawling baby that was extremely tough around the other kids who were all several months older than you.

*You started going to the nursery much younger than when your sister started. I think it helped you because now you pretty much have no problem going to other people.

*When you started smiling, it melted our hearts! You would smile at your sister more than anyone! You have always had the sweetest smile-just like your Daddy!

*I will never forget the decision we made to let you visit Granny in the nursing home when she moved here from NC. I was so worried about germs, but ended up getting over it and I am SO thankful that I did. She died just weeks after she moved here, but the look on her face when she held you...I will never forget it.

*Rolling around was your FAVORITE thing to do when you started! It was all I could do to keep you still for a diaper change or changing of clothes. You're still a little wiggle-worm, but much stronger than you were then!

*When you were about 4 months old, we traveled to VA, to meet Danny, Laurie, Gabbie and Luke. You were SO good the whole trip! The ride home, however, was a NIGHTMARE! You were SO tired of being in the car. Thankfully, when we got home you were happy to be in your own bed and slept well. I will never forget that loud car ride home, though!

*You acted like you were going to crawl for about a month and a half before you actually did it. You started at about 5 months and learned how to get faster very quick. It was then that I got the full-effect of this 2 kid thing. :-)

*I love that you and Emmy could play after you started crawling! Emmy was always very gentle with you and you LOVE playing together.

*You did not do well with babyfood for several months. We eventually decided to give you mushed up table food. After a few weeks of that, we tried babyfood again and you did great. I believe you were about 9 months old when you started eating babyfood well. Now you can't get enough of food.

*Speaking of food, when we're at the dinner table, or table in general, you make this noise like "MMMMMM, MMMMMMM, MMMMMM" and it is SO loud. Once we give you a bite of something you stop until you swallow then it's "MMMMMMMMMMM, MMMMMMM, MMMMMM" the rest of the meal until you are full!

*You put EVERYTHING in your mouth. I am constantly picking things out of your mouth throughout the day. Even though it scares me to death, I think the little chewing face you make when you've got a non-food item in your mouth is SOO precious!

*You are and always have been a Mommy's girl. You love it when Daddy gets home, but are ready to be back with Mommy shortly after you give him lovin'. I hope you stay that way! (Let's keep that between you and me, though!)

*Until about 7 or eight months you were a chunky monkey, but now you've thinned out and are average in weight and above average in height. I loved those little rolls you had, but think your little figure is so cute and girly now!

*I guess you will see in your pictures that I always put either a headband with a big bow on your head and as your hair grew I started to put just a bow on your head. You're precious with or without them, but what can I say?? I LOVE bows and my philosophy is the bigger the better! Just wait until you see your first birthday bow!

*At about 11 months we were all sitting at the dinner table. I looked at you and told you I loved you. I swear right after that you looked at me and said "Iloveya".

*Sometimes when we are playing, I will try to work on speech stuff with you. You are already starting to repeat some things with me. F.E. When I say "Fish" you repeat "shhhh". I know you're not talking a lot yet, but you are definitely understanding me!

*You love music and often direct Daddy on Sunday mornings when we sit in on him practicing!


That's all for now! Your birthday party went great and I will be posting that very soon! We love you sweet girl! You are such a blessing to our family!

-Mommy