Happy 1st Birthday Elsie

Elsie Sophia:

Can you believe you are already one year?? I can't!! It brings tears to mommy's eyes to think how fast you are going up! What a sentimental day today has been so far!! This time last year you were just hours old and my whole world changed forever!! You are the best thing to ever happen to me (besides marrying your cute daddy) and I am so blessed to be your mom!! This year has been so fun to watch you grow. It is amazing!! Everyday you learn multiple new things and hit new milestones. This past month you have especially grown up. I feel like you are leaving the baby stage and slowly turning into a toddler. It is so fun to interact with you more and see more of your personality come out, but at the same time your Mommy is a baby and has a hard time letting her baby grow up!!! I feel like it goes by so fast that its not far. I want to remember every stage and memorize every precious moment!!

What a sweet little thing you are!! You now officially say Mama (finally) all the time! You say it so sweet, it is the best thing I have ever heard. You are starting to be more cuddly again and I love it! You are so busy and on the move all day long (not walking yet) but every once and awhile you will stop and lift your arms up, look at me with your sweet little eyes and say Mama!! That is the moment that I live for!! I can't thank you enough for turning me into a Mommy and allowing me to take care of you and love you day in and day out!! There is nothing in the world I would rather do than be your Mommy!!

It is so fun to see your personality come out even more.... you are still as curious as they come!! You have to check everything out for yourself! All day long I hear you banging your little hands on the wood floors as you crawl around so vivaciously. If you think for a second any door is open to the bathroom or pantry or laundry room, you high tail it as fast as you can so you can get tin there before I shut the door. You are so determined!! You have to intricately examine everything and you get so frustrated if we take something away! I hate to admit it but you are starting to throw mini tantrums. It cam on so fast! Luckily that last only a few seconds and you are quickly to forgot, but man you let us know if you don't like something! When you want to get out of your high chair you bang it so hard so your food flies everywhere or you go limp if we pick you up and take you away from your toys. You also hurry and grab things as fast as you can if you know you shouldn't touch them. You are a funny one!! You have so much spirit and personality but at the same time you are so so sweet and easy going! You still are the most social little thing! You love crowds and running errands because you just sit and socialize and people watch... I wonder where you got that??!! You love other kids and are so good when playing! You have lots and lots of friends and love to play so hard! You love playing with cousin Brooklyn and getting to see Miss Haldey. She loves you and dotes over you and you love it!! It is so sweet to see how social and loving you are. You are still very aware of others around you and their feelings. You get so worried if another baby is crying or someone is upset! You catch on to other peoples energy fast!! 

You are so smart and the fastest learner. You catch on to things and have started to imitate us! You talk on the phone, blow on your food, put on your lotion, clean your face and the floors, wave bye bye!! The other day I was helping you to learn something on your house front. You caught on so well and within minutes, you could do it yourself. You are also so good at shapes, thanks to Grandpa!! You also get so excited when you learn something new. You clap your hands, your eyes light up and you look at us to make sure we are watching. Yesterday you learned how to turn the lights on and off and you were so excited!! You also learned how to sort of color and you should have seen how proud you were! You are so stinking cute!!!

You are still quite the little talker. Our little parakeet! You make little bird noises all day long and you are such a jabber!! You can say "uh oh", "ho ho ho","ruff ruff","moo", "dada", "dad", "mama", "no", "don't", (that might tell you how busy you are), "nana"! You will randomly just turn to us and in all seriousness jabber something like we should understand and we are having a conversation! It is too funny!! 

You are starting to stand a little bit, and you take steps with your walker. You also learned how to get in and out of your little chair, and you can now climb up the stairs!! But of course you have no fear and you just start to let go!! Crazy girl!! You still love puppies and when we get to Grandpa Harold's you "ruff ruff" looking for the dogs. You love stuffed animals and you are so cute to cuddle them! You love to rock them and hug them! You are starting to watch shows a little... 5 minuets max, but you love Blue's Clues. Probably because of the dog. You still love the tub and now you are starting to get crazy in there, splashing so hard and climbing everywhere! The other day you dive bombed into the empty tub trying to get it!

 A few days ago you choked really bad.. you always choke a little, but you always seem to work it up. This time you couldn't catch your breath and you started to turn blue and act like you were going to pass out. It scared Mama so bad, but we lifted your arms up and you worked it out. We took you to the doctors just to be safe. They gave you an X-ray yo make sure you didn't swallow anything. You were so good the whole time, but you got a little worried laying on the table when the machine started making noises. You also threw up on the doctor when he checked your throat ( what else is new, you still have the MOST sensitive gag reflex). Luckily you were fine and they said it was most likely reflux that you choked on. That's our girl.... always keeping us on our toes!!

Oh Elsie girl, how much you grown this month!! I want you to know how loved you are!! We have been so blessed to have you in our lives and are so happy you are our little girl!! You are such a happy and delightful little girl! You have the most infectious giggle and brightest smile! You are always so bubbly and laughing... we love that about you!! You are always so happy to play, learn and explore!! You are so content and easy going!! We hope you always stay sweet and curious and full of personality!! You are so beautiful inside and out and we hope you always remember how special you are!!

XOXO Mommy and Daddy