Lucy Turns 1!

This is the oldest she's ever been, and the youngest she'll ever be.  As Lucy hit her first birthday, I had mixed emotions about how I was feeling...I was SO excited for this new milestone and exciting part of her life, but I was missing my soft, sweet smelling newborn baby.  

The night before her 1st birthday, I snuck into her room and took her out of bed and held her in my arms for a long time.  I was just feeling her warmth and that total sweet surrender that sleeping babies give, and I just cried and cried.  I was thinking about how it was the last night she'd ever be "months" old.  The next day she'd be a big 1 year old!  I went to bed that night with a heavy heart, just missing the new days when every little squeal and snort and coo was the best thing ever!  But I woke up on the morning of her birthday energetic and excited about the day ahead!  I made her french toast with lots of syrup and fresh blueberries.  She got some awesome presents and a brownie for dessert.  She had balloons to play with, she Face-Timed with Ninny and Papa and talked to Nana and Pops Smidt on the phone.  She had video messages and facebook messages from her Aunts and friends.  She got to spend time with her Grammy and Paw Paw and Aunt and Uncle from Louisiana.  It was a very exciting day! 

And once again, late that night, after her bath, her story, and her night-time milk, I picked my sleeping baby up out of her crib and rocked her and cried....It reminded me of the story "I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living my baby you'll be."  It was truly a scene out of the book.  I even whispered that little phrase to her as I held her warm little body in my arms.  It was my baby girl's birthday and my mind was replaying the 1st year of her life.  She is growing up so fast and I love each and every minute of it, but it is just so crazy how fast the year passed.  I still can't wrap my head around it!  It seems like we brought her home 2 weeks ago, not a whole year ago!  I don't know....I am a total "reminiscer."  (I just made that word up, haha!), but I am.  I am always reminiscing about the past, so of course I couldn't resist.  I re read her baby book on her birthday about the day of her birth and looked at all her newborn photos.  She was, and still is, the most precious part of my world.  I am so thankful for her. 

I hope she had a perfect birthday. 
Welcome to toddler-hood my sweet baby.  I can't wait to watch you grow and hold you every night on your future birthdays until you're too big for me to pick up, and rock you while you sleep, and cry because I love you. 

Lucy loves her new sand/water table.  Pink sand for the birthday girl!

What a stinker face :) Her birthday breakfast :)

Lucy's new red wagon.  All her birthday money was pooled together and she LOVES it!

The BEST present!!! She found out she was going to be a Big Sister!!!

What a sweet moment it was to let the family know we're adding to our "nest" :)

Cookie Monster, Elmo, and her personal birthday cake :)

Sharing cake with Daddy

 =

Dig In Baby!

 Can't believe you're all done with your monthly stickers.  It flew by, Lucy!  Sadly, I know the next 18 years will fly by as well.  I love you more than all the leaves on all the trees. 

Happy Birthday sweet Lu.