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.

11 Months!

It seems like ever since Emilie turned 9 months old she has just developed at lightening speed! Before that it seemed like things were more gradual. Every new milestone was a thoughtful process. Something that she worked very hard at. Then she turned 9 months, and suddenly she was crawling, and climbing up onto things. Things have been so much busier since then!

Now she not only crawls, climbs up on to furniture, cruises along furniture, she climbs up the stairs, and will stand on her own for a few seconds before she slowly and carefully sits down so she can crawl off to her next adventure. She is fascinated by books,  and will look through them on her own while we're changing her. She loves putting things into things. Her new favourite toy is the Tupperware Shape-o ball! She loves to open and close doors, and discovering what fun things are behind the cupboard doors in the kitchen. She initiates peek-a-boo, and claps her hands when she knows she's done something good. She's also trying to use a spoon when eating, but always quickly puts it aside since her fingers are just so much more effective!

So many changes, and we know so many more are around the corner!

Here are some pictures from our little photo shoot this morning:

Dear Emilie

Dear Emilie,

As we get closer and closer to your first birthday I can't help but think back to what things were like a year ago leading up to your birth, and how much has changed since that day.

I am constantly amazed by your transformation over the last 11 months. Even before I was pregnant with you I always thought how magical the first year is. How this tiny little being goes from being completely dependent on parents for everything, to this (possibly) walking and talking little person! Watching you this transformation has been even more amazing.

Those nights in the beginning when I would be up multiple times during the night to feed and soothe you I would just stare at your little face. You would turn your head just so and I could see little glimpses of the little girl that you would become. Now it seems like every day there is something new you are discovering and learning. Not to mention I swear you grow overnight! Now I can see those changes that were just glimpses months ago. They make me so happy, and so sad all at the same time. Happy that you are this smart, daring, energetic, beautiful little girl. Sad because everyday you are one day older, one day further from that tiny, helpless little baby that I held in the hospital.

Sometimes when you start to cry in the middle of the night, I go to your room just a little happy that even though you're my little big girl so desperate to conquer the world, you still need your Mama. I rock you in your glider and you snuggle into my arms the same way you always have, and even though your legs are starting to hang over my lap, you are still my little girl.

Love,
Mama

Seven, Eight, Nine, and Ten months

Okay, okay, I've been a slacker when it comes to blogging. I haven't been a slacker when it comes to monthly photos though, so here they are:

Our little hunny bunny is now 10 months old! Where is the pause button?!

A photo update to catch you up

November 2011

Trying to distract me for Daylight Savings.

Out to a breakfast date with my Mama on my 8 month birthday.

Pigtails!

My first haircut!

But Mama can still do pigtails!

What-is-this-white-stuff?

Whoa!

Big and Little!

DJ "E" hard at work.

Co-ed bathtime!

December 2011

Yummo!

"Josh, I have some things I need to tell you..."

Pears are so yummy!

Papa showing me what snow feels like for the first time.

Le Sigh

Santa you have great taste in presents!

Papa helping me open one of my first Christmas presents on Christmas Eve

"Mama, the phone is for me!"

My Uncle Andrew helping me open my present.

Thanks for the car Baba!

 

Halloween 2011

I never imagined how much thought could go into Halloween! Andre and I debated over what Emilie would be for Halloween, and Andre decided that he would get to choose her costume this year, and I could make next years choice. Andre's decision: a strawberry. It was a nice fleece costume, so we knew Emilie would be warm.

Finally the day arrived, and Carrie and I got Emilie and Josh together for a little photo shoot in their costumes with their pumpkins.

First came Emilie and her pumpkin:

You want me to look where?

At the pumpkin?

You?

Then came Josh:

This is what I think of this whole thing.

Is it time for us to go home yet Mom?

And finally Emilie and Josh:

Emilie: Josh isn't this fun? Josh: Whatever

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's....we don't know we're babies!