Months 1 - 12

So the last monthly update was month 9. Some day I'll get an update. 18 months anyone?

I haven't gotten around to adding the birthday bash, but that'll be next. In the meantime Here's the collage of her monthly photos.

You can tell by the horrible lighting in most of them that I had a tendency to forget until it was almost bedtime. Around month 9 we had to get creative with props and it just got harder and harder to get a good one. As you can tell we own a lot of pink. And because I have OCD about weird things, we didn't ever repeat an outfit. I tried to do the same for bows (which we have more than enough of), but Dad was in charge of month 11 so (wah-wah) it's the same as month 10.

I was really really really proud of myself for taking each one on the 26th of each month. Again because I'm OCD about weird things. That is until her actual birthday. I was so mad at myself for forgetting and being a couple days late. Because, #firstworldproblems. Looking back (hindsight's a bitch) I should've just waited until the weekend to get better light on all of them. Month 1, 2, and 4 are my favs - which of course have the best light. It's fun to look back, and see how she (officially) changed month to month. So while I may not have gotten around to writing updates on month 10 and 11, we DID get a photo!

Now that she's really on the move and walking (re: running), and refuses to take photos (rude) - I hope she appreciates this someday! (But her sappy Mom will love it enough for the both of us).

On letting go

It’s amazing how time plays tricks on you. How the days are long but the years are short. Isn’t that the truth? For most parents anyways. Lately the days have been quite short as well. I’m not entirely sure how we’re already a week away from the new school year. The summer breezily floated by without a care in the world. Clearly not asking my permission of course.

Somewhere in the middle of all the swim meets, tennis lessons, weddings, and family reunions, my baby turned one.

And while that precious milestone was celebrated thoroughly – as it should have been – it’s no less bittersweet. My baby is no longer a baby.

I can’t even count the number of times the Mr has had to tell me, she’s not a baby anymore. But oh contraire, my love, she will always be my baby. THEY will always be my babies.

For the first time, I haven’t been in a rush to switch her to the big girl car seat. She’s still happily toted along in the baby carrier. At 14 months.

I still rock her to sleep each and every night. Even though she’ll go to sleep just fine when I lay her down. (After chatting with herself for a good 10 minutes of course).

I got out the 18 month clothes for fall this past weekend, and some how they just looked so… big.

For the first time I’m pretty emotional about leaving the baby stage and entering the toddler stage. While I’m excited for the new things to come and all the adventures that await our sweet little family, I can’t help but already be a little nostalgic for that darling girl who surprised me (TWO weeks early no less) on my birthday.

“What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.” – T.S. Eliot

To new beginnings.