Happy 1st Birthday, Lucy!

This last month your personality has grown. You have been very happy and silly, and really interactive. You make lots of what your brothers call "happy sounds", which is when make tons of babbling noises that make it seem like you're trying to hold a conversation in your baby language. It's incredibly cute. You don't have any words yet, but you definitely have sounds with meaning. I have to say that this is one of the biggest difference between having a girl vs. boys: you are so much more talkative and creative with your voice than they were at this age.

We had your birthday party the weekend before your actual birthday. Your brothers were happy to help you open your gifts and blow out your candle. Your favorite gift was a little pink doll given to you by Great-Grandma. Dolls are definitely one of your favorite things. Another great gift was a quilt that Tommy made during his sewing lessons. He was so eager to give it to you and could hardly wait until your party. You loved your birthday cake, which was carrot cake. You scraped the icing off first and then smashed the cake to bits, and then ate that. I have to say that your method was the most interesting 1st Birthday Cake Smash yet!

Milestones & Stuff: You are getting your two top teeth in. You've been feverish and fussy for about a month, so it's a relief to finally have something to show for all of that effort. You are still doing your unique crawl, and unfortunately you have to go back to physical therapy to learn how to crawl correctly. You are pulling up on things to your knees and trying to pull up to your feet. I think it's going to be a few months until you're walking. You have some funny nicknames: Lulu, Lulu-Bean, and Doodles.

Another milestone is that you finally started eating food this past month! Thus far, you would taste things but usually spit them out. Now you are eating a lot, and can eat almost anything as long as it is diced and soft. You seem to really love vegetables. Some of your favorite food is banana, peach, avocado, carrots, and zucchini. Our birthday tradition is to make a favorite meal for the birthday child, so for your birthday dinner you had the things I've seen you favor the most over the past few weeks: homemade mac & cheese and vegetables (you ate a ton!).

I've written before about people asking me questions like, "So, are you enjoying having a girl?" I couldn't say yes or no before, but now that I can see your personality coming out, I can say that I really am enjoying having a girl. It's fun to see you explore things in a uniquely 'girl' way: gently turning things over in your hands examining them, using your fingers to nimbly pick things apart (things your brothers weren't able to do until much later). You talk to things, you snuggle your dolly, and you light up when you see animals and try to talk to them. When I'm reading a book aloud at the breakfast table, you get very chatty and try to talk along with me, which for now, is very adorable. Lucy, I'm enjoying you so much and I can't wait to see how you grow over this next year.