Lots of our friends helped us celebrate the occasion with lunch and cupcakes. I baked and decorated all day on Saturday. And Abigail got lots of fun toys and clothes. She helped me open a few of the gifts, but she was more fascinated with paper, new toys, and hamming it up to the crowd!
Here are some pictures from her big day.
She is wondering why I am blowing out her candle. She finally learned to do the blowing action last week...too late for the wish-making. I wished something good for her!
She apparently does not like the taste of sugar. Ha! She is clearly not my child!
Opening gifts and reading her new books. We love the floppy ears in the doggie book!
Wow! Blocks! Look what I got!!
Here she is on her ride-on toy. She hopped right on and scooted away...backwards of course! Later on that day she was doing this with a toy cell phone in her hand. Ugh!
Can she be any cuter?!?! Come on people...I don't think so!
This past year has flown by. It makes me sad and happy at the same time. I think about all that she's overcome. Nothing horrible, nothing insurmountable. But still, she had several little things that from the start made life just a little bit harder on her. I have been replaying her birth in my mind over and over again. And I keep thinking how those first few days and weeks were so difficult for her and for me. I tried very hard to savor all of those moments at the time despite the challenges. And I do still remember what it was like to hold her in my arms and feel this amazing sense of awe. I am still in awe! I guess I always will be.
She has grown so fast. Her personality is blooming (it has been for awhile now!) and she is learning to be independent. I love watching her grow and learn new things. Matthew and I play with her every night before bath time and we both watch her in amazement. That hour or so together is so precious to me (and to him, too). These are moments I don't want to lose, to forget, to outgrow.
My newest dilemma is the bottle situation. Apparently I am supposed to force her to use a sippy cup...no more bottles for the "big girl." Uh, really?! Why do I need to force this? Who is this benefiting? Can't I just slowly ween her from this (as prescribed by the pediatrician)? I feel like I just can't give up the morning or night bottle feedings just yet. I like it too much (and I think she likes it, too, of course). I love that bonding time with her. She's my love and those are my love fest times! I know I need to help her move on to a cup, but I really am resisting this. It just seems like it is the official sign that she is not my baby anymore. And I can't handle that thought! I can totally see myself trying to love on her when she is 14 and she is grossed out by it! I'll call her my baby and she'll roll her eyes. I'll tell her stories about her birth and show her pictures from her first year of life and the celebration of that year...she'll say she's bored. Despite that response, I hope that she'll know in her heart that I do love her very much.
It may have taken me a long time to get her into this world and it seemed like an eternity, but I am seeing that the time I have with her goes way too fast. It can all become a blur if I let it. And I choose not to let that happen.
Someone remind me of all of this when she is that 14 year old who rolls her eyes at me!
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