Letter to Lizzy- Twelve Months

Lizzy Loo,

Today, you are one year old. Officially a toddler, not a baby. The idea that you're not a baby anymore doesn't make me sad, but I am surprised at just how quickly the year has flown by. I literally remember the day that you were born like it was yesterday. Rocking you to sleep that first night singing Bob Marley's Three Little Birds. It seems crazy that now when I put on the music, you dance right along!

On Saturday, we had your birthday party, and the whole family came.





You had your own little cake (after I failed at making one, TWICE, but that's a {hilarious} story for another day), and at first, you were pretty suspicious of it, but eventually face planted right into the cake and went to town.







One part of your personality that we've really seen develop recently is that you love to be the center of attention. I can totally see you being an entertainer of some sort when you grow up--you love to make people laugh! During your party, you loved to walk into the center of the room and happily scream as loudly as you could, and then when everyone would look at you, you'd laugh hysterically.





You also really enjoy showing everyone your "tricks"--especially doing the round and round motion to "The Wheels on the Bus"



You also know how to clap your hands and stomp your feet during "If You're Happy And You Know It", play Peek-A-Boo, and point to the correct picture of your cousins (and Jaxon) on the side of our fridge when we say their names. You especially like to give Jaxon kisses, which we happily encourage!

Your favorite game is to play "Getcha Getcha", where we say that we're going to "get you", and chase you all over the house. You laugh hysterically every time! For some inexplicable reason, you also LOVE to crawl under our barstools and sit with them like a cage around you.



You absolutely love books. We've added your books to one of the shelves in the living room, and you happily take them all off every morning, and play with them for hours at a time. You have started to favor "real" books over board books, and absolutely do not want me to turn the pages for you. Some of your favorites (Pat the Bunny, Brown Bear Brown Bear) are already starting to fall apart, but I would much rather your books need to be replaced every year from being loved on than to stay on the shelves in pristine condition!

You say Mama, Da-Da, Pay-Pay (Payton), OHHHH!, Bye-Bye, Kit-Kat (Kitty Cat), Papa (Grandpa), and Bo (Bones). You also know the signs for all-done/finished, and more.

But my favorite development this month is the frequency that you give kisses and snuggles. It melts my heart every time baby girl.



Love you more than anything,
Mom