Lily is One!

Hello World!  I am officially one year old today!

I woke up with mom and dad singing happy birthday to me this morning and I had no idea what was going on!  The house was all decorated with balloons and streamers which I loved.  It was a great day!

I am growing more and more independent these days.  I love to "talk" to everyone and simply wish they could understand what I am so clearly saying!  Mom and dad try to help me with words, and the ones I can say are "kitty cat," "uh-oh," "that" and "dog."  Mom says that only she and dad can understand me, but I'm positive others can too.

I have six official teeth now, but I continue to work on others.  I still drool quite a bit, but that does not stop me in any way, shape or form!  I love to smile and I especially love to crack myself up and laugh.  I think lots of things and people are very funny.

I still love to eat, and am loving learning to feed myself everything.  I still have a ways to go, but most of the time, I will give it a shot.  Sometimes the texture of different foods grosses me out and I just fling the food as far from my hand as I can in order to fix the problem, but mom keeps encouraging me.  I know I will get it down.  I love to drink through a straw and am getting better with my sippy cup too! and try to as much as possible!  I got to have a birthday bran muffin this morning and it was DELICIOUS!  My favorite foods these days are deli turkey and cheese with some grapes and blueberries. 

I have been working on learning sign language too.  Mom needs to learn more signs so I can learn more! I'm really good at it!

Here I am, cracking myself up...

I love to be outside and enjoy the wind in my hair.  I especially love going to the local petting zoo where I can pet the baby goats and see some chickens and horses.  I LOVE animals.  Sometimes mom takes me with her when she is visiting friends who have pets and that just makes me super excited and happy.

Isn't this lotion hilarious?

I still love to go to the park and swing.  Mom and I go as much as possible.  I've started enjoying wearing my sun hat which flaps in the wind when I swing.  It is so much fun!  I am kind of funny about textures.  I don't like the feel of grass on my skin or the feel of dirt on my hands, but I still like to touch them when I am around them.  I make a funny face and shake my hand really wildly.  It is a lot of fun.  Mom is hoping that I will like to play in the sandbox at the park someday so we can build castles and dig holes together.  I'm not quite there yet.

I still love to read my books and I am a really good page turner.  Reading is probably my favorite activity.

I am walking now.  Not all of the time, but a lot.  I can take 8-10 steps in a row before I need to sit down. It is very exciting to see the world from this new vantage point.  

I'm getting better and better at expressing my emotions as well as my likes and dislikes.  Even though I don't look too happy in this photo, Mom says I am a very easy going little girl.  I love to go to Sunday School and play with the other kids.  I always get great reports from my teachers about my behavior.  I just love to have fun and play!

My favorite toys these days are my golf balls, my shape sorter, my cause and effect pop up toy, my Baa Baa, my books and my cookie jar with cookies in it.  However, I just got some fun presents from my parents which will be lots of fun too...especially my aligator xylophone!  I love music and I smile, sway and dance whenever I hear it.

I am still holding onto my two naps during the day.  For awhile there, I was not wanting to nap in the afternoons, but now, I do again.  I like to keep my mom on her toes.  But for now, I am sticking with two naps a day for a total of two-three hours a day, and then I sleep 12-13 hours at night!  Yep! I like to get my rest in!  Maybe that is why I'm so easy going!?

I still like to make my funny and determined face when I'm busy having fun.  When riding in the car, I love to throw my toys around, un-velcro my shoes (and sometimes take them off all by myself!)  and talk to my mom.  

I am really excited for my summer.  Mom is already making lots of plans for play dates, library story times, indoor play gyms, swimming, vacations and so much more!  I can't wait!

It has been an amazing year.  I can't believe that a year ago all I could do was cry and blink my eyes and sleep! I love growing up!  I am excited for all that this next year holds.  I can't believe I'm one!

xo

Love,

Lily