12 Months... In Pictures

Kennedy's 52 Week Check In

52 weeks.  One year.  What a crazy, messy, beautiful year it's been.  Technically, her birthday is tomorrow... but she is already asleep, dreaming big girl dreams.  We had a wonderful day today, celebrating her birthday with family and friends.  Once everything settled down and Kevin and I kissed our little bitty baby girl goodnight, we laid in bed and flipped through old pictures, reminisced about that magical day, one year ago, when our lives changed forever.  It's amazing how much your heart can grow in one year, heck in that one moment when she took her first breath.  And just when I think my heart can't possibly grow and love any more... I catch a glimpse of my sweet angel sleeping and I am proven wrong once again.  Gosh I love her.

How Big Is Baby?

• Still guessing around 20 pounds... appointment on the 30th to find out for sure.
• Clothing wise, she is in 9 and 12 month and a few 18 month tee-shirts
• Shoes... she actually wore shoes once or twice this week.  Her size 3s fit ok once I get them on, but boy is it a struggle to cram her little Fred Flinstone foot in there.
• Full time cloth diapering.  Size smalls and one size- fully extended on the rise and out 2 snaps at the waist

Development & Milestones

• She walks like a pro now.  It's amazing.  One step here, one step there... then all of a sudden she is off and running.  She is a walking machine now!
• She is also learning to climb... up onto the couch, onto her picnic table, onto anything she can.  Babyproofing part 2 will be underway this week
• 4 teeth on top now and 4 on the bottom now, I think she is working on her molars... grrrreat.

Diet/Nursing

• Nursing is great!
• Pumping at work last week was fine.  No pumping this week for me!!  Yay vacation!
• BLW was ok this week.  She has been really active and doesn't like to sit still long enough to get a good meal in.  I'm hoping this is just a phase and I will have my little munching machine back soon.

Sleep

• Sleep has been pretty good this week.  With family in town and the party today, her normal routine has been off a bit, but she is flexible (thank goodness) and tends to just go with the flow.
• Same story with naps.  Not her normal routine, but she is ok with it.

PP Mommy Check In

• This will be my last PP Mommy check in.  My weight has been steady for several months and I don't see that changing until we start working on baby #2.  I am still working on my workout routine, but plan to stay as active as possible.
• Weighed in at 119 this morning.
• *For reference, my highest pregnancy weight was 162, my pre-pregnancy weight was 130 and my goal weight is 125*

How Is Daddy?

• Kevin had busy week.  He worked and then came home and was a slave to house cleaning all week.  It paid off and the house looked awesome!
• Weight-wise, he is still hanging around 200.

Any appointments, visitors or outings? Anything else new?

• Kevin's parents and brother, Chad, came in Friday night and will be leaving tomorrow morning.  My parents arrived this morning and are staying through the week.  It is so wonderful to have a house full of family.  We are truly blessed!
• Cloth diapering is still going great!!

Product Rave:

• Tie... Kennedy's new water table was a hit with her and Isaiah today... as well as her new Radio Flyer wagon.  Love them both!!

Any upcoming developments, milestones? What's next?

• One year well visit is Tuesday as well as a one year post partum check up for me.
• This coming week, we are planning on a trip to the zoo and another trip to the splash park.  Can't wait!

To My Daughter On Her First Birthday

I love you.  Before, after and above all else, I love you.

I loved you long before you took your first breath, before I first held your tiny little hand and breathed in your sweet baby smell.  Before I felt your kicks in my belly or listened to the sweet sound of your little heart beating.  Before I even knew you existed, I loved you.

Tomorrow, you turn one.  It's hard to believe that this time last year, you were still snug inside my belly, nestled just underneath my heart.  I talked to you and sang to you and wondered when you would make your appearance.  I loved to watch my belly rise and fall as you practiced breathing and I giggled with daddy when we watched you hiccup.  Your daddy read you stories every night, usually "Baby Oh Baby, The Places You'll Go" or "Guess How Much I Love You."  I daydreamed about what it would be like to be your mommy.

Now, I can't imagine being anything else. 

This time two years ago, I was praying for you and wondering if your daddy and I would ever be blessed with a baby.

And here you are.  We are so very blessed.

You are an amazingly sweet little girl.  Your smile lights up my life.  Your laugh is infectious.  You are my little mini-me and yet every bit of your father.  Your Fred Flinstone feet are the cutest things I have ever seen and your crazy bed head in the morning is one of my favorite things in the whole wide world.  The goofy faces you make crack me up and your little baby pot belly is just so precious.  The way you wave bye bye in the driveway with daddy when I leave for work brings me to tears every time and the way you yell "mama" and run to hug me when I come home melts my heart.  I may be a little biased, but I'm pretty sure you are the cutest little girl in the whole wide world. 

You love your puppy.  You love your daddy.  You love milk straight from the tap and you love french fries in a way that makes me crazy.  You thoroughly enjoy unravelling rolls of toilet paper and dumping out my purse onto the floor.  You love your new water table from Nana Lorrie and Grandpa and you love your new red wagon from Grandma Sherrie and Pap Pap.  And you love your puppy.  A lot.  :)

You are curious and excited and energetic.  You love to run, well, try to run, and drag around toys that are bigger than you.  You are my little night owl and my sweet little snuggle monster.  You sleep better, nap better, do everything better when you are close to me or cuddled up in daddy's arms.  Your favorite movie is Finding Nemo- I watched it with you at least 3 dozen times in the last 3 months.  Your favorite book is any book you can get your hands on.  You love to flip through the pages and yell at them, and I love to watch you.  You love to play with Lucy's water bowl and try to eat her doggie food, no matter how many times your daddy and I tell you "no".

I love to watch you laugh and learn and grow.  I love to watch you discover new things about yourself, like your belly button, and I love to watch you discover new things about the world around you.  You know "mama", "dada", "puppy" and "more".  You can sign milk, more, all done, and of course, puppy.  You wave bye bye and blow the best kisses.  You are so smart already, but you still have so much to learn.  I can't wait to show you the world and teach you everything I know.  But at the same time, I wish you could stay in this sweet, innocent, naiive state forever.

You may not stay little forever, but you will always always be my little girl.

You are perfect.

And in the morning, when you open your pretty gray/blue/green eyes to this big world, you will be perfectly one.

Happy birthday, sweet baby girl.  I love you!
 Love, Mommy

It's Fun To Be ONE!

Here are a few pictures from Kennedy's first birthday party.  We had a lot of fun watching baby girl open her presents and play with her friend, Isaiah.  It's hard to believe it's over and that tonight will be the last time I kiss my infant goodnight.  When she wakes up tomorrow, she will be a silly, smiley one year old.  :)

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