Baby Girl Turns ONE

One year ago today, the tiniest, sweetest baby I had ever seen was placed in my arms. My baby. Sweet baby Makayla. Boy, has life changed in just one year. I have changed, for the better because of that little "peanut" as they called her in the delivery room. Our life is sweeter with her in it, our home is messier, louder, but happier. A friend of mine write letters to her boys on their birthday, I thought that was a sweet idea, and hopefully one day will be a keepsake for the kiddos. So, here it goes....

Dear Makayla, (aka Bug, The Girl, Mosquito, The Little One)

Happy Birthday little one! Wow! One year old! Big changes are coming your way. For starters you get to start drinking milk, and facing forward in your new fancy car seat! wow! You are such a blessing to us! You make us laugh with your crazy faces, giggles, and sorry to say it, even your little tantrums! Lately, you have been giving some mean looks. Furrowing your brow, lowering your head, steady eyes. Very serious. We don't know where you pick these things up.

You are so funny to watch as you get around. You will do everything to avoid walking, although last week you did take several steps on your own! You scale the walls, cabinets, and furniture. You will even walk on your knees across a room! You are a very speedy crawler and know you can get anywhere and everywhere you need to be just fine by crawling, so I understand why you are perfectly content. :) You know how to get up and down stairs, faster than I can catch up to you.

You babble and babble. You do say several words like "uh-oh" "momma" "dadda" and "nanna" for banana. You smack your lips and like to make some pretty cool noises with your mouth. You love to wave hello and goodbye to people- even the strangers at the grocery store. You have mastered drinking form my camelback water bottle and straws. You love food that you can feed yourself: oranges, cherrios, grapefruit (big hit these days), bread, eggs, veggies. You like to sit in your highchair and hang out with your finger foods. Your favorite trick is to smear your food into your golden brown hair. Very nice. Your little teeth help you chew those things up. You have 2 on the bottom, and 3, almost 4 on top. They all came in at different times, so they are all different sizes- making one cute little smile! You did discover a new noise you can make, grinding them together. Ugh. It gives us the willies!

Music makes you move. All types of music. As soon as it starts you're rocking back and forth, lifting your arms up, squatting up and down. Very entertaining. You even jam out to the organ at church. It makes us smile and want to move with you. :)

As soon as you hear the bathtub filling up, you come 'a crawling. You can hardly wait for me to take you clothes off before you start trying to climb into the tub. Once you're in, it's no longer safe to be there, if you want to stay dry! Your arms start splashing and your whole body gets into it. Maybe you will be a swimmer? I am constantly telling you to stop putting your face under the water! You come up looking so cute, your big blue eyes all full of water and your moth open wide. You crazy girl.

You put everything into your mouth. I even catch you licking the floor. Yuck. It is a constant battle to make sure you don't choke! You love your bottle. Even if it is empty, you will carry it around, suck on it, throw it and chase after it, throw it and make us pick it up (very fun game), you even crawl with it either hanging out of your mouth, or in one hand, down into a cool army crawl. Pure talent.

You are so playful. You cover your face and giggle until you move your hands away and we say BOO! Then you crack up! You squeal and laugh when you are tickled.

This year has been so much fun with you. Watching you grow, learn, and explore, it is amazing how fast it all happens. You came into this world at 5 pounds, 19 inches. You are now 20 pounds now, and 29 inches! We have all gown together. You melt our hearts with each snuggle, head-butt, smile and giggle.

With much love,

Mom and Dad