1 Year Old

Dear Hailey,

You, my darling daughter, are 1!  Such a proud feat for your daddy and I.  When you were born, people said, "at this time next year, you'll be throwing a First Birthday party! can you believe it!?".  My mind could not even go there.  I had this tiny, hungry, helpless baby in my arms and had all to do to figure out the next 5 minutes, much less the next 12 months.  Well, little one, we made it!  365 days later you are a happy, healthy, thriving young toddler and your daddy and I could not be more proud of you! 

Here is a rundown of where we are at 1 year old:

• 21 pounds, 14 ounces (63%)
• This means that in a room full of 100 1-year-old girls, 63 are smaller than you, and 37 are bigger than you. 
• 2 feet, 6 inches tall (also known as 30 inches).  (78%).  Still a tall little girl!
• You wear mostly size 12 month clothing.  Some bottoms you wear are 18 months to accommodate those bountiful thighs and cloth-diapered bum.  You wear both 12 and 18 month jammies, depending on the brand.
• You have tiny feet!  You wear both size 2 and 3, depending on where I buy from.  Some 0-6 month socks still fit you, too!
• You are cloth diapered most of the time, but when we wear sposies you are in size 3.
• Your favorite foods are: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, peas, black beans, yogurt, mandarin oranges, yogurt melts, and puffs. 
• Least favorite foods are watermelon and avacado.
• I still nurse you in the mornings and you drink organic whole milk the rest of the time.  You love your milk!!
• You love to hang out at the dishwasher and bang on pots and pans with spoons while mommy does the dishes.  You also love to sit or stand at the front door with Bucky and watch the cars go by.
• When mommy's phone rings you say "dada!!"
• You also say "daw (dog)!" while petting (hitting) Bucky on the head :)
• You can take up to 12 steps at a time, but you would still prefer to crawl since it gets you places much faster than walking!
• You can do the signs for "eat" and "more" at the proper times
• You take 2 naps per day, each about 1 hour, and sleep for about 10 hours at night (down around 7:30, up around 5:30).
• You love to play with spoons or sand shovels or anything else you can beat on other things with! 
• You have 6 teeth (4 on bottom, 2 up top) 
• You LOVE to laugh.  You have the sweetest little giggle God ever created.  I love how you squeal and giggle when me or daddy says "I'm gonna get you!!" then you try to run (cruise/crawl) away from us!
• You have the sweetest, softest blond hair.  I'm interested to see if it stays that way for the rest of your life. 
• You still have those gorgeous blue eyes and round cheeks that you were born with!
• You are such a good girl.  You are good in restaurants and out in public, and you love to smile and give your "shy face" to cashiers at stores who say hi to you. 
• You are a mama's girl and I'm a-okay with that.  It is my privilege to spend 24 hours a day with you and I love that you come to me when you need something.

Hailey Rian, thank you for making the last year so wonderful.  Your daddy and I love you so much more than these words can say.  Happy First Birthday!!!

Here is my favorite pic from your birthday party (separate post to come on that big day!) :

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