1 year!

We did it! We kept our baby (and ourselves) alive for one full year! It has honestly been the happiest year of my life. Sure she makes me frustrated and tired sometimes, but she never ever makes me sad. 

She is observant and inquisitive. Funny and affectionate. Stubborn and persistent. She does all sorts of silly heart-melting things that I can never capture in a form more permanent than my memory. Above all she's happy. I love her whole array of smiles . . . the wide open-mouthed grin, the closed-lip smirk, the "anime" smile that's so exaggerated her eyes squint into little arches. Don't get me started on her giggles. We love you Lilly. Our family is so much cooler with you in it!

Everything you wanted to know about Lilly right now:

• Weighs 20 lbs 10 oz and is 29 inches tall. Still has 4 teeth on top and two on the bottom.
• Loves yogurt, cheese, chicken, eggs, carrots, baby food peaches and rice. Likes to use a fork to try to feed herself. Mostly likes to feed her food to me.
• As of yesterday, is (possibly?!) officially switching to 1 nap a day. Sleeps from 730 to 7ish, and usually wakes up once around 4 or 5
• Is mostly weaned during the day, and usually just nurses at bedtime and either when she wakes up at 4 or 5 or just when she wakes up. Also is really good at signing "milk" (usually adds a pleading look for good measure).
• Likes to do that sound where you clap your hand over your mouth repetitively, also likes to help her stuffed animals and us do it too.
• Sticks her tongue out (Thanks Drew)
• Giggles at her reflection in the back seat mirror when we're driving in the car.
• Has a much improved attention span and will sit and listen to me read or just flip through books by herself while I'm busy.
• Enjoys scribbling with her washable crayons
• Points at everything and wants you to tell her what it is.
• Understands basic commands ("close that cupboard," "come here"), and any words that have to do with going outside send her running to the door.
• Loves to be outside and at the park. 
• Claps her hands and stomps her feet when she hears music. Also claps her hands when she knows she's done something good or if I say "yay!"
• Says Dada, Mama and a handful of words that she can only say part of like "doh" for dog and "tch" for tree. Mostly she just says "dah" and points. Speech is not her strongest suit.
• Is a great walker and handles small steps and hills well.
• Loves pressing buttons, especially little round ones like those on our clock radio, laundry machine, playstation, playstation controllers, and phone (I may have some extra charges this month).
• Loves bath time in the big tub. After I take her shirt off she'll start tugging at her pants and diaper so she can get in!

She has come a long way from our sleepy little newborn!

Look how much she's grown:

Birth

 1 month

 2 months

 3 months

 4 months

 5 months

 6 months

 7 months

 8 months

 9 months

 10 months

 11 months

12 months/1 year/Now

If you made it this far and are wishing you could have seen her on her birthday, then here is one very long video just for you! There are three different clips if you want to skip through them--opening a card, opening a present and eating her cake. (The beginning of the cake clip is my favorite.)