Dear Macy, Girl,
Unbelievably, you turned one this week. Over the past year you have made our lives more full in so many ways.
You are a lover of life. Sometimes I think you are here to teach me to slow down and take in each moment. I could spend hours with you "wrestling" on the floor or holding with you facing me in my lap.
I've said it before...you just make us smile. You can't help it. You grin from ear to ear when we walk in the room, at the sight of your sister, and always, ALWAYS, at the sight of food.
We might as well just get this part over with - you eat a lot. Did I say "a lot?" Because I meant a LOT! It's incredible. Impressive, really, considering your arms are rather slender like your sister's, and your legs are only a little chubby. Your stomach? That must be where it's going, but in truth your daddy and I can't really figure it out. The food just disappears.
You usually cry when we start wiping you up to take you out of your chair. You never act done - we simply cut you off. You have eaten just about every single bite of food we have ever put in front of you. I can't even say what your favorite foods are because you eat everything.
I don't think there is reason to be concerned, but it will be a question I ask the pediatrician at your one-year check up (which will be about a month late).
You are walking well with a walker or your favorite new ladybug ride-on toy that you use as a push toy, but haven't really taken steps on your own yet. You have started standing much longer without holding on to anything and your daddy predicts you'll be walking within two weeks. Time will tell.
You recognize Daddy, Norah (or "sister"), Mimi and Papa, and identify them with your eyes when we ask, "Where's Daddy? (etc.)" You are making a variety of sounds, but the only words we have recognized so far is "Dada" and "Uh, oh." I think I have tried to get you to say "Mama" a thousand times, but you usually respond by saying, "Dada."
You clap your hands, blow kisses, wave, shake your head, cough and click your tongue. Daddy started something with you a long time ago, which is pushing your belly in and out quickly when you say, "Ahhhhhh." You caught on to it and start saying "Ahhhh" whenever we start pushing. Recently you decided you like to do it yourself, and you "slap" your belly to make the noise.
When nursing you sometimes like to dictate where my free hand goes. You reach behind to search for it, and move it up so you can give me high fives. When you are done you pull it back down again.
You continue to be a pretty good sleeper, though recently went through a phase of waking up around 5:15-5:30. We never got you out of bed before 6:00, usually closer to 6:15, and this week has been much better over all. You go to bed around 6:30 and, after a month or so of crying yourself to sleep for naps and at nighttime, this has been better recently as well.
You are still nursing before bed, in the morning, and before naps on the weekends. I just stopped pumping at work since you hit a year, but we will continue to nurse at these times until it feels right to stop.
You and Norah adore each other. While you have started to get into each others things a bit more recently, generally you are happy to see each other. Norah is a very good big sister and I tell you over and over that you are lucky to have her. Since you figure out how to push the ladybug toy around the house the two of you have spent a lot of time making circles from the kitchen, through the dining room, entry way and living room, and back to the kitchen. Norah rides her "car" and often catches up to you and passes you while you giggle and try to catch up with her.
We decided to lay low for your first birthday, and had a simple celebration a few weeks ago with just our immediate family while Mimi and Papa were in town. Everyone was here fall afternoon and it was really nice to spend that time together. You devoured your cake - banana with cream cheese/honey frosting, You started digging in before I even had your tray snapped in all the way. In true Macy form you wasted no time when it came to food. Here are some other pictures from the celebration:
Mikayla is giving the birthday girl a birthday kiss:
The older cousins played outside in the water while the wee ones slept:
I am experiencing a mix of emotions about you growing up, Macy Girl. I don't want it to pass by too quickly, but I also look forward to experiencing your development. Thank you for so often being the bright spot of my day. Thank you for the smiles and the cuddles that remind me how rewarding it is to be a mother.
I love you very much!
Love, Mommy
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