Abigail - One Year!

June 7, 2013

Dearest Abby,

This might be a hard letter for me to write, little Abigail.  I sure am having a hard time realizing that my baby girl is one year old.  It's a bittersweet day for me.  I love seeing you grow and each new day is more fun than the last, but at the same time I just want to grab you and keep you like you are.  Or go back to those first days and just hold my newborn baby again.  I have been thinking a lot this week about what each of this days was like last year.  The last day before you were born, my feelings when my water broke and I realized you were so close to being here.  The moment when you came out and I held you for the very first time.  That was such a beautiful day Abby, one I will always cherish.

Then I think of the year that has passed.  Those first weeks (that turned into months) that were so very difficult. The breastfeeding nightmare we went through (and conquered!!). Then you first smiled, and laughed and I realized that you weren't always going to be crying and screaming at us. Each milestone you achieved as we watched in awe.  It's so incredible that this little girl running around is the same little baby that I held in my arms 12 months ago.



This last month has been such a fun one.  One of the best yet, that is for sure. Your biggest accomplishment is that you are a walker, of course!  You took your first steps April 27 (when you were still 10 months) and then took your sweet time until May 23rd when you just took off! It sure surprised me to see you go from a couple steps here and there to going straight across the room.  You absolutely love this new found ability.  You walk around and around the house and love when we go places where you have more room to practice.  Your balance is incredible - you hardly seem to fall at all now.  When we go places (like story time at the library, or other group gatherings) you love walking around and up to each person to check them out. You really love being around people and get so excited when we go places.

You have started another cute thing.  When you are sitting on the ground you will every now and then do what your Daddy calls the 'bum swivel' where you use your legs to turn yourself around. Sometimes it is to reach something easier, other times you just do it because you can.

You went into a pool for the first time this month, at our playgroup group birthday party.  I wasn't sure how you would react since you have had a not so happy relationship with water.  But you did pretty good!  You weren't as excited and happy as your other friends, but you were calm and even cracked a couple smiles!  You still hate the ocean water, though.  I take you down each time we go to the beach to see if you will warm up to it, but you seem to be even worse now than before and start freaking out before we actually get to the water.  We haven't even been able to go walking on the wet sand recently because you get so upset.  So we spend all our beach trips in the sand, which you do love.

You are very much more stubborn now than before, I think.  You definitely get upset more easily if we take something away from you, go one direction when you wanted to go the other, or if I even just hand you to Dad.  He is sure looking forward to when you act a little more like you actually like him, Abby!

Sleep has gotten a bit more difficult again. You are fighting nap times more often, you sure make it known that you would rather keep playing.  It's gotten to where we have to sing and rock you almost asleep in order to put you down without you going into panic screaming mode. You have also started a not much appreciated habit of waking up earlier in the mornings.  5:30 seems to be a favorite time now.  I think maybe it's because it's getting lighter earlier now?  Our room definitely does not stay dark in the mornings. So we need to figure out a way to fix that.  Because that is sure earlier than your parents want to be awake!


You are much more independent now.  You especially love to sit on your own and read all your books.  It's adorable how much you love your books. You want to try to do things on your own, like walking without Mom's finger when we go on walks, or wanting to try going up or down stairs on your own.

You have started handing things to people.  Sometimes you will even do it when when ask you to. This is a very useful skill, Abby, keep it up. You also think its funny to offer something, then pull away at the last second. Little tease! Though sometimes you just do it without necessarily thinking its funny...

For a while now you have loved emptying things out of any container or space possible - toy bins, diaper bag, shoe basket, cupboards, etc.  But this last month you acquired a new skill - putting things inside!  You seem to have an understanding now that things belong places. For example, if you take the bottle of hand sanitizer out of the pocket in the diaper bag, you will put it back inside.  And then repeat this over and over.  I first noticed this when you were playing with a shape sorting toy where the different shaped blocks fit into spaces on a little wooden truck/wagon thing.  You already loved taking them off over and over when I would put them on. Then one day you started putting the shapes back on!  Not in the right spaces, but back on. Wow.  My little girl is so smart!

Oh, Abby, what an amazing little girl you are.  I love your cuddles and hugs and smiles.  I love sitting and reading books with you while you snuggle up next to me.  I love exploring with you - finding all the best rocks and flowers to smell outside.  I love watching you get so excited each day to just be alive.








I love you.  Everything about you. Happy birthday my baby girl.

Love,
Your Mamma