Dear Emilie

Dear Emilie,

What a roller coaster ride the last year has been. Actually longer than that. As the day of your birthday approached I couldn't help but think of the journey your Papa and I had to even bring you into this world. One day you'll know all that we had to do to have you. All you need to know is we both wanted you so much, and that we loved you from the first moment we saw you.

See that little black circle with the little grey circle inside? That was YOU! Your very first baby picture! You didn't even look like a baby back then, but your little heart, it was beating so fast, and so strong. It made your Mama cry! Mama and Papa fell in love with your right then and there.

How did you go from that to this:



Now that tiny little peanut with the beating heart, is crawling, and walking, and smiling and giggling, blowing bubbles in the bathtub and ripping kleenex out of the box. It's amazing how quickly you have grown up. In one year you went from needing me for everything, now you push me away so you can play with your toys, climb up the stairs all by yourself, and shove Cheerios into your mouth faster than I gave hand them to you!

You are amazing little girl. Don't you ever, ever forget that.

Even when you're teething and waking us up in the middle of the night for a cuddle, or having a temper tantrum because you didn't get your way, we love you so much. You are all of our dreams, and all of our wishes in one cute, opinionated little package.

I hope that this first year has been just as great for you as it has been for us. Papa and I know how much you have learned and how much you have grown. But you have taught us just as much, and made us grow just as much too.

To celebrate your first birthday your Papa and I made a little video. It starts off with that very same first baby picture that I just showed you, and ends on our first birthday. Happy Birthday Emilie, your Mama and Papa hope that your birthday was everything you hoped it would be.

Love, Mama

ONE Year Old!

Better late than never right?

Emilie is now one!

Can you believe it? I can't! I know it's sounds so cliche, but time really does go by so incredibly fast.

Our little girl is now such a little girl in so many ways. She ended her first year with 10 teeth, two of them her one year molars. She's got some chompers on her let me tell you! She loves playing with her cousin Joshua. She squeals whenever he comes over or we go to visit them. They are going to be best friends.

We're still working on eating with a spoon, but in true Emilie-style, she will throw it to the side because it's faster eating with her fingers. It is the same with walking! She has been taking steps since 11 months, but favours crawling since it's just easier for her. She's a little Cheerio monster, and anyone who sees our pictures will tell you Emilie is eating one is almost every single picture. She loves to rip up paper, look through her books, "talk" on the phone, sort the shapes into her shape-o-ball (with some help of course), open and close doors, chase after her kitty cat Mikey, and give kisses and hugs to everyone she loves, including her little baby doll.

Unfortunately Emilie came down with a cold on her birthday, so she was not at her best for photo shoot this month.

Aww Mom! Why do you need to take pictures?

I'm going to get you!

Our cutie after her morning nap.