One.

Dearest Elise,

If I could somehow bottle up your infectious laughter, your melt-my-heart smiles, your sweet spirit, your easygoing nature, and your arms-flung-around-my-neck hugs, I feel certain the world would be overpopulated. Especially if I managed to filter out your penchant for not-quite-sleeping-through-the-night. Oh, baby of mine, how can you possibly be ONE? This year has absolutely flown by-- and what an incredible 365 days it has been watching you grow and seeing your personality develop.

You continue to be pretty laid back and content, although this not infrequently requires me holding you. I'm happy to oblige, as I know all too soon you'll be too big for me to hold. You're a thinker. You love books and music. Whether it's jazz during dinner, Beastie Boys blaring in the garage, or I'm-a-little-teapot emanating from your toy, whenever you hear music you stop what you're doing and start bouncing up and down or swaying back and forth (depending on the beat, of course). You always smile and look up at me to make sure I'm watching your moves.

At one year, you are a bit smaller than your sister, weighing in at 20lbs 6oz and 28 inches. You're tough, handling your one-year shots with a short-lived yelp and a scrunched up face. Then back to your happy self, working the crowds with your Miss America wave and million dollar smile.

You continue to have quite the gourmet palate. You loved mussels, clams, and shrimp, noshed on smoked salmon and goat cheese, and routinely eat most veggies. You're not a huge fan of tomatoes, but I haven't found much else that you will turn down. You loved your first taste of sugar in the form of your birthday cupcake, but honestly I've seen you get just as excited over butternut squash.

Birthday cupcakes

Snowman party favors

In the rare moments of quiet between your sister's incessant narrative, you say "Dada", "Mama", "Dat" (referring to the object of your affection, accompanied by a pointing index finger), and "Oh-oh" (uh-oh). You love peek-a-boo, and will hold your jacket or blanket over your face until I join in the game.

Not sure if this is elation or terror. It's a fine line anyway...

You pull up to standing, cruise along furniture, and walk with assistance, but no independent steps yet. You are quite the daredevil, and I often find you perched atop objects without any clear indication of how you made it up there. You are a pro at climbing up the stairs, and mischievously check to see if I'm looking before you make a run crawl for it. You are amazingly dexterous, and can pick up microscopic things and put them into precise locations. Including, of course, your mouth.

You usually take two naps a day (at home, more like zero at daycare), and go down with minimal protest. At bedtime, I am so thankful that most of the time you smile up at me when I lay you down and kiss you goodnight. Bedtime is around 7pm and you still are fond of waking up between 4:30 and 5:30. It is becoming increasingly hard to get you back to sleep. This is a work in progress. Weaning is going slowly-- you have done great with cow's milk during the day but are hanging on to your pre-bedtime and early morning nursing session. You've seemed less interested in the last several days so I suspect these won't last much longer.

I have mixed emotions about you turning one. I am so excited to watch you grow and explore the world with you as a toddler. But, always one for nostalgia, I will miss your baby-hood. Before you were born, I had this irrational fear that I wouldn't be able to love another human being as much as I love your sister. But my heart apparently doubled (or tripled or quadrupled) in size with a giant atrioventricular annex just for you. You bring more joy to our lives than I could have possibly imagined. I have so many memories of your first year, but I hope that if you remember one thing, it is how very much you are loved. And you are so, so loved my little one. We are so blessed to be your family. Happy birthday, my sweet Elise.

Love,
Mommy, Daddy, and Elle