Brett & Kirsten: Brooke: 12 months, aka 1 Year old!

30.5 inches (85%tile)

23 lbs 5 oz (80%tile)

Dearest Brooke,

Happy Birthday Sweetheart! My heart is so full of love for you as I think over the last year we have spent together. You bring so much joy into our family and I pray everyday that you can feel the love that surrounds you. Life this past year has been the best kind of roller coaster. We have had our highs, and we have had our lows, but throughout it all we have had each other. I know, I sound kind of cheesy, but someday I'm sure you will understand. We spent the year learning and growing and honestly I'm not sure who grew more: me or you. You taught me about patience, humility, and selflessness. You taught me how to rely more on our Heavenly Father, who loves us both so much (trust me, I've felt it!). You taught me how to let go of the little thing that don't matter and enjoy the little things that do. I'm far from perfect but you love me regardless and for that I am thankful.

Although turning 1 is only a milestone based on the calendar it is symbolic of leaving behind the baby stage and entering the toddler stage. Although, I think you've been more toddler than baby for a while. Looking back at your baby pictures brings fond memories, but I am LOVING the stage you are in right now. There are so many things to love!

I love the way you babble to yourself as you flip through the pages in your book. It takes talent to read a book upside down and out of order, but you seem to know what you are doing.

I love the look you give me when trying to assess a new situation. You trust me with all your heart and that sure makes a mommy feel good.

I love how you climb into my lap and all over me when I sit on the floor to play with you.

I love when you bring a book over to where I'm sitting on the couch and say "up, up" so we can read together.

I also love your independence: your willingness to play by yourself and the fact that you feel safe enough to explore things on your own.

I love the big cheesy grin that lights up your face when you see something you like.

I love how you are filled with a passion for life and seem determined to seize every minute.

I love the cute open mouth face you make when you are thinking hard about something.

I love watching you watch the world through our patio door.

I love the way your hair curls on the back of your head. Your bed head is constant but its adorable.

I adore your laugh and the way it lights up my life.

I love how resilient you are. So many falls everyday and very rarely do you stop long enough to even consider that it might have hurt. Usually you just roll over and laugh.

I love how you react to music. Sometimes it looks like you are conducting the song, other times its a dance party complete with the head twitch, Elvis leg move, and booty shake.

I love how beautiful and big your blue eyes are but even more so I love that they are so full of life and love.

I love your friendly personality and ability to brighten other people's days with a wave or blown kiss or high five.

I love the way you throw your head into my face when you want another kiss.

I love your mischievous side and the way you giggle and run faster when you think I'm coming to stop the fun.

I love the softness of your skin, especially first thing in the morning when you are warm and cuddly.

I love your drunken walk that comes out when you first wake up and again when you are tired and ready for nap time. You body may slow down but your mind sure doesn't.

I love the cowlick on the back of your head, the little bump on your right ear, the way your belly button pulls slightly, your tiny little toes and your perfect lip and nose.

I guess you could say that I love everything about you, and you'd be right!

You are learning to many new things right now! Your little mind is like a sponge and I try hard to help it soak up lots of good things. You understand so much of what we say and you surprise me everyday with showing me new things you know. You understand when I say we are going to go for a ride, take a bath or go to bed and start heading towards to appropriate location to accomplish said task. You can point at or pick up a variety of things including: ball, doggy, fish, fan, light, book, baby, spoon and some others I'm probably forgetting. If I ever leave a dirty diaper on the floor you pick it up and carry it to the diaper pail and then if I don't come put it in quick enough you bring it to me and point at the pail. We are trying to teach you some sign language and you are finally starting to repeat a few occasionally but we still need lots of practice with those. You make a lot of noise at times but not too many words. At least not that you use correctly and consistently. You do say "up" and "hi" regularly though and don't seem too frustrated by your inability to communicate (yet). When you do get frustrated you throw your head back and I can see some pretty epic tantrums in our future. I showed you a video of yourself that I took on my phone the other day and ever since then you have become obsessed with wanting my phone if you ever see it and won't stop until I show you a video on it. You laugh and smile and clap at yourself and its adorable. I love watching you learn and grow and I feel so very blessed to get to continue watching such a miraculous process.

You are still a sleep diva but are getting better all the time. You sleep through the night regularly but not consistently and still take 2 nice long naps. You always wake up happy even when we have to wake you up early from a nap. If you get overtired everything goes out the window, which makes Sundays tough. Church interferes with both naps and by the end of the day you are so overtired that it takes forever to fall asleep and often results in multiple wakings. Most days we have a good routine and there is hope yet that someday I'll get a good nights sleep.

You are a healthy little eater and growing nice and big. You eat a mix of finger foods, purees and table food and you love drinking your water from a sippy cup, a big kid cup, our water bottles or a straw. You have 8 teeth (four on top and four on bottom) and are working on your molars. You still nurse 3-4 times a day (depending on if you wake up in the middle of the night) and we will probably continue that for a while yet.

Eating your tortilla like a big girl!

You are walking all over the place with such control. You can stop and pick stuff up or squat to play but you are not so good at standing up on your own. Usually you opt to crawl to the nearest object and use it to stand up. We had your feet measured so we could get your some shoes and you have little bricks for feet. Short and wide. Oh, and they are adorable and oh so kissable!

This biggest event this month was your surgery. You had the cyst removed from above your eye. It is healing up so quickly though and you were a real trooper through the whole process. (I'm so behind on blogging but I intend to make a separate post for those pictures and stories.)

Daddy went back to work this month and we miss him lots during the weeks but it just makes our time with him on the weekends that much sweeter. He loves you lots and tells you that constantly. You have loved going to his football games and cheering him on. We are working on teaching you what to do for a "touch down" and hope to have that mastered by the end of the season.

You love reading, exploring, stacking things (plastic cups, bowls, lids etc), putting things into containers, pulling things apart, your new pet fish and lets not forget how much you LOVE other kids. You love a good challenge and I love the look of pride you get when you complete it successfully!

Putting baby food jar lids into an empty wipes container

Putting spoons into a plastic container and then taking them out and throwing them behind you

Moving the spoons from one container to the other

Words can not express that love your dad and I feel for you but we are going to spend the rest of our lives trying to make sure you feel it!

Love always and forever!
Mom and Dad

Some fun pictures from this month...

Getting into messes and showing off your first (and only) time sporting the pig tail.

You make the best back seat passenger. I love stopping at red lights and turning around to see your happy face!

Walking around at church like you own the place. It amazes me how such a little girl can take up so much space in the hallway.

One day your favorite activity was coming over to me on the couch and asking "up", then you would climb over me and peak out the window and just stare out longingly.

We went to the library and you loved playing with Clifford, the big red dog, reading books and playing with the puzzles.

You love to explore and often I find you under the table.

Sometimes your exploring gets you stuck.

Blowing kisses!

We spent some time at a friends house and you loved their dog!

You also loved their little boy and were perfectly content to let him play with you even when it involved him picking you up and carrying you across the room.

They always say that kids love cardboard boxes and they are right. The box from your new car seat quickly became a favorite toy as you crawled in and out and pushed it around.