O-N-E

It happened. My baby turned one. It's a hard reality. I'm coping. The Saturday before Elena's birthday we had a little breakfast party with some friends. That morning Julia said, "mom, it's not her real birthday today is it?" When I explained that we were just celebrating she said, "oh good, she doesn't even look one yet!" I laughed. But, I'm here to tell you, something happened. On Wednesday morning we woke up and went to story time. While there Elena sat in one of the kid chairs and listened the whole time, when it was project time she cried until she had a marker and paper of her own, she then proceeded to color on said paper. After which she crawled over to the train table and played trains with the kids. She wasn't the baby on the floor pulling all the toys and books off of the shelf (which she does still do!) she was a part of the crowd. I don't know how it happened. Tonight Cody and I caught sight of Elena playing "tea" by herself. She had a tea cup in one hand and would take the pitcher, pretend to pour into her cup and then pretend to drink her drink, over and over, and over again. We also witnessed her pick up her first piece of garbage and take it to the garbage and throw it away. All in one day. This all happened. Dead serious. Elena also had a second party with the Temple and Jensen Families. They hold a dear place in our hearts as Bro. Temple is who drove me to the hospital to have Elena and Sisters Temple and Jensen kept our other kids the day before Elena was due and the day of. We are so grateful for them. Not having had them would have made moving 1500 miles away six weeks before my due date unbearable, we are so blessed.  

Elena at one year- she spends her days dancing to the piano, oh how she loves music. She also enjoys a pretty dress and a few bracelets and or necklaces while dancing. She is often heard screaming because she climbed into Lacey's bed and can't figure out how to get out or screaming at the top of the stairs because she wants to go down. She loves ripping every last DVD from the shelf while I exercise and finds great joy in crawling all over me while I'm attempting planks and push-ups. She's started mimicking sounds and attempts to say things she hears, she says Dad, uh-oh, no, Mom, and Baba! She is really good at letting us know when she doesn't want something by rapidly shaking her head. I wouldn't say she has a real favorite food, but she does enjoy grapes and strawberries when they're cut up and mixed together. She's more of a meat and veggies kind of girl and often turns down sweet treats, including but not limited to her birthday cake. She wasn't impressed. Although ice cream, that's a completely different story. She loves a good shower and will play on the shower floor for hours if we let the water run that long. She expresses her approval to strangers by waving and her disapproval by snuggling her face into the crook of my neck. She goes crazy and screams when any unknown person walks in our door. She lights up our house, her jabbering makes my heart melt. She walks with her walking toy non stop and is very pleased with herself when she's finished. Oh my, I could go on for days, there are so many things I don't ever want to forget. Elena Joy, I love you to heaven and back and I'm so grateful you are mine!! Xoxo