One Year Old

(I'm obviously super late on this post, but here's an update on what Lauren was up to about a month and a half ago):

Dear Lauren, Oh baby, you are ONE! I can't even believe it. As cliche as it sounds, it really feels like it could have been last week that I held you in my arms for the first time, all covered in goo. You make life so much better. I am so happy you're mine :) I love you baby! Here's just a little bit about you right now....

Learning and Playing: Um, I'm pretty sure most 12 month olds are not capable of doing a lot of the things you do. You have cognitive reasoning abilities well beyond what's typical for your age. You communicate wonderfully through sign language, and can even put multiple signs together to form sentences. For example you've said, "I'd like a diaper change and a bath, thank you!" Oh its adorable. You're still not very interested in talking and only say "mama" and "dada," but I'm beginning to think your communication through sign language is just so effective that you don't see any reason to talk. You've managed to outsmart just about every piece of baby-proofing equipment we have- at first shaking the baby gate until it moved just enough so that you could push it out of place, then you went to full on climbing the baby gate. You can climb on/off furniture completely independently. You'll use various objects to make climbing easier for yourself if you can. Daddy found you rocking in your rocking chair by yourself the other day. You waved to him when he walked in and were just so proud of your little self for getting into the chair all on your own. Your favorite thing in the world right now is dancing. "Three Little Birds" by Bob Marley is YOUR song, and you love it like nothing else. It's what I sing to you as you fall asleep at night. Your other favorite song is "Call Me Maybe." When you're in a dancing mood, you want THAT song, and you want it on repeat for as long as Mommy and Daddy can handle it :) You're learning about yourself right now, and know what your nose, tongue, toes, and hands are. Some of your favorite things right now are books, babies (as in baby dolls- you're such a sweet little mommy), making messes, Elmo, being outside, dancing, giraffes, and other kids. You LOVE other kids. Its adorable.

Teething: You have four beuatiful little teeth- two top ones and two bottom ones. Everyone comments on how adorable your smile and teeth are. When you wave at strangers at the store (something you do frequently), they almost always comment on either your BEAUTIFUL eyes or your ADORABLE smile and teeth! Daddy and I are getting a little worried you may be developing an underbite like Mommy had. We're probably the only parents in the world trying to encourage their child to suck their thumb, which you're not that interested in doing, lol.

Eating: We're going to start weaning off formula soon. I'm a little nervous because right now you're more interested in throwing your food or wearing it than you are in eating it. You eat whatever Daddy and I eat now. You love rice and beans and taco soup, but I think green beans may still be your favorite :)

Sleeping: I think you're getting ready to start learning to fall asleep on your own without the bottle, but in all honesty I'm just not sure I'm ready for you to yet. I love cuddling you while you fall asleep at night. It's one of my very favorite things. The way you sleep is one of the few very "baby" things about you still... everything else is all energetic toddler. But you sleep on your tummy with your little bum in the air, and it just makes my heart happy. You're happy to sleep in your crib, and you're happy to sleep in bed with mommy and daddy, so it just depends on the night what we do. More often then not you sleep about 11-12 hours, occasionally waking up around 3 or 4 am completely ready to play and not happy at all that Mommy wants you to go back to sleep, lol.

You have such a strong little personality. You're my little toddler that can out-tantrum even the maddest three year old, and out-cuddle the sleepiest baby. Watching you learn and grow and change is amazing, and I feel so honored to be your mom. I love you madly, Little Goose. You are our everything!