Brynley turns one

It's hard to believe, but my little girl turned one on Saturday, February 13th. Throughout the week, I thought a lot about where I was one year ago. From 2/6/09 when I was first admitted to the hospital with high blood pressure to 9:03 pm on 2/13/09 when I first got to hold my precious girl in my arms.

My Brynley is petite...only 3rd and 5th percentile for height and weight, but she has a huge impact on my life. I am a completely different person than I was one year ago. Hopefully I'm a better person! I want to write a post that is memorable and sentimental...one that fully expresses what Brynley means to me...but I'm afraid I don't really have a way with words. One thing I do know: God has blessed me!

Brynley's birthday party was postponed due to the horrible winter weather, but it is still going to happen. On her actual birthday, we were staying with my in-laws so we all went out to lunch and let Bryn make a mess out of an ice cream sundae. Here are some pictures from that day:

A letter to my daughter

Dear Brynley,

Today you turned one. It is hard for me to believe that a whole year has gone by. You continue to amaze and delight me every single day. I have changed so much since you joined our family. My greatest hope is that I will be a good Mommy, that you will have a happy life, and that you will grow up to be a confident, strong woman who knows that she can do anything she puts her mind to.



Some things about you...at one year old...

• People continue to comment about what a happy baby you are. When we are out somewhere or visiting with people, you are always so relaxed and full of joy. People are drawn to you.


• You are a silly little girl. If you make a noise or do a dance that makes us laugh, you will do it over and over again just to hear us giggle.


• I am afraid you are also a bit stubborn! :) You do not like to be told no!


• You love food and will eat nearly anything we put in front of you. Also, if someone else is eating, you will crawl across two rooms to tug on their pants leg in the hopes of a tasty treat. Daddy & I fear that you think you are one of the dogs.


• Also, you like to try to eat dog food. Chanook will let you take it right from her dish. Cider will growl at you. We always catch you before you actually eat any....although we have had to fish it out of your mouth a time or two. And you get really mad (see: Stubborn)


• You are tiny; only 3rd & 5th percentile for height and weight.


• Because you are tiny, strangers sometimes think you are much younger, and then they are amazed when you can clap and wave.


• For now, you are a Mama's girl...and you love Nana to pieces. You love your Daddy too... you guys crack each other up!


• You still sleep with that butt up in the air. It's adorable.


• When you are tired, you grab your pacifier, cuddle up next to someone, play with their fingers, and moan.


• Although you used to despise it, you love bathtime now....especially since you learned to splash!


• You still love music, dancing, and animals.

You are my precious little girl, my gift from God, and I love you with all my heart!

Mommy

Mobility

Hmmm...looking back at my photos for the past month, I am disappointed to find that there were NOT a lot of good shots of Brynley. Now that she is more mobile, I find that I'm getting plenty of photos of the back of her head or her tush as she is crawling away from me. Mobility and photography do not go hand-in-hand....time for me to brush up on my skills!

Enjoy some photos from the past month:

Brynley packed up her minivan and is ready for a road trip

Not a great photo...she was itching to get out of that chair and crawl around

Cutest. Pajamas. Ever.

Bryn hung her duck on the side of this can.

It is so funny to see what adventures her toys get into!

She loves looking out the window...

...and making funny faces!

...and hates bows!

Ordinary days...

Please forgive my lack of blog posts lately. I guess I've just been enjoying ordinary days...

(An amazing video by the author of "The Gift of an Ordinary Day", Katrina Kenison)

Helping Mommy unload groceries

Better late than never...10 (and a half) months old

Blame it on the hectic nature of December: I didn't take Brynley's 10 month photos until Jan 2nd! Tomorrow, she will be 11 months old.

Bad photo sessions

Sometimes a photo session is far from successful. Case in point:

What is that face about? And why did I not take the stickers off the bottom of her shoes?


Easily distracted baby!

"Mom, I don't want to take pictures! I want to play with my cousin!"

"Ahhhh...my cousin Wesley is very entertaining!"

Another strange look

Nice nostril shot

20 minutes, 30 photos and not a single good one in the bunch. Argh!