Dear Autumn

Dear Autumn,

I have truly been slacking on my letters to you. How else are we going to remember at what point you started doing all the cute things you do? Who would have imagined that the older you get the less free time I find myself having!

Wow - you're already a year old. It seems like yesterday we were at the hospital. In fact, I was just telling Nana on the phone this evening how excited I am to give birth again someday. I loved every minute of it! Now I get to look forward to all your new milestones. You are now walking more than you are crawling. The week before your birthday you were doing steps here and there but now I would say 80% of your movement is on your feet!

Everyone asks me if you're saying any words. You're talking non-stop, but unfortunately not in a language anyone can understand. You speak so softly and so animated. Whether you are alone in your bed, with your favorite stuffed animal (the lion from Madagascar) at Nana's house or the lamp I love listening to you chatter.

At a little over a year you have 5 teeth to your name - 3 on the top and 2 on the bottom. Even your worst day teething is better than most parents every days with their babies. You are such a champ. You fall so gracefully. If you bump your head you shake it off. I love having a tough baby! Getting off topic. You LOVE brushing your teeth. You know to open your mouth and you tilt your little head back and giggle as I slide the toothbrush back and forth across your teeth. It's just a part of our night time ritual.

You are going to bed so easily. You have a way of letting us know when you're ready between your normal bedtime of 7:30 and 8PM. Placing you into bed with a bottle (which you no longer drink to fall asleep - but it's there just in case), multiple plugs (you only get them at bedtime and you have an assortment as they sometimes fall out of your mouth onto the floor when you're standing), and Big Bird and Ernie. Blankets and Autumn don't mix. Periodically I will walk in to check on you and you've got your butt high in the air, uncovered and on top of a stuffed animal.

Grandpa still can't go a day without seeing you.

I understand where he's coming from.

Thank you for being so sweet this first year. I've loved being your mom. I am so proud of everything you're learning and accomplishing. I could not be more proud and in love with the sweet girl Heavenly Father has given to us. Even at a year old you're teaching me things I never thought I could do or tasks I never thought I'd under take.

I love you!

Mom