one.

she is 

one 

year 

old.

this time last year, i was laboring hard and hoping to see a beautiful new face sometime soon.

it was so worth it.

warning: i am now going to gush about everything she's up to lately.

she's become such a big girl, even more so than a couple of months ago. she'd walk everywhere by herself if i let her. she can basically run (the baby version of running which looks more like a quick waddle) and she has some serious attitude. she throws fits like nothing i've ever seen. she just lets go of all muscle control and flops on the floor. we've finally gotten on the same page about bedtime and naps (at least, for the time being) and i guess she's just too mature to be rocked to sleep. she wants to be left alone, thanks! she practices and does pretty well with spoons and cups. she has gotten better about taking bites instead of shoving all her food in her mouth at once. she loves, loves, loves to play with her toys and run around - outside or inside. 

she's still a very quiet girl most of the time. she jabbers a little more than she used to, but most often she just observes.  she is very curious and loves to inspect things and take things apart. i often find her carrying books around the house and she'll stop and flip through the pages. she's smart - too smart. she grabbed the book i was reading and the bookmark fell out, so she opened the book and put the bookmark back in (so i wouldn't notice?). whenever i mention animals or she hears someone talk about animals on the tv, she goes to find her toy animals. the other day she was watching a show about cows and she went straight to her farm and gathered all her little buddies up (she even knew they were all inside the silo). when i ask if she's hungry, she'll walk over to her high chair and try to climb in. she communicates pretty well without words, so far. i know she has good comprehension.

she signs "more" but she made up her own version of it. she likes to yell at judge ("ud!") and "talk on the phone" to dad ("da!"). when she wakes up, she looks all around the house for daddy. she'll sometimes wait by the windows for a little while for him to come home. she knows he likes to go in the garage and she looks for him in there, too. sometimes she says "ma!" but i think she means "more," not "mama." she can say she wants that ("dat!") and she has started to say out ("aht!"). i think she's very close to saying "hello" and "bye-bye" when she waves.

she loves to give hugs, but not kisses so much. she likes to have other people kiss her toys, though. she does a good pat on the back during hugs and sometimes i even get a little nuzzle on the shoulder. she makes lots of good jokes and definitely knows what's funny. the other day she was making a fuss for no reason and suddenly looked me right in the eye and screamed really aggressively. i was a little shocked and started laughing. she realized how silly it was and started laughing, too. she loves to be crazy and giggle. again, she's so smart. she has already started to pretend things. the other day i gave her a bowl and spoon while i was cooking and told her to make her own food. she stirred and stirred and gave daddy and me "tastes" of what she was making.

ellie likes: 

banana bread

sweet potatoes 

well, any kind of food (almost)

judge

music

dancing 

mcdonalds 

helping mommy

juice

books

pens

anything that an adult has

trying to do grown up things

the park

outside

running 

wearing jammies all day

bathtime

sips of soda

putting on shoes

sitting on laps

cuddling

wiggling

 CHOCOLATE

playing with toys

hugs

mommy & daddy

ellie dislikes:

teething

being tired

when the food is gone

having her face washed

not getting treats

being buckled in

public restrooms

well, there you have it. portrait of the baby as a one-year-old.

daddy couldn't wait to see her this morning - he wanted to wake her up at midnight to sing to her. she got up for a minute before he left the house at the bumcrack of dawn and we whisper-sang to her then. there will be a party this weekend and it is going to be so yummy. 

that's right, yummy.

we can't imagine life without her.