Charley you are ONE

Oh hey Charley.. it's Mom. Just thought I would pop in here and say Happy First Birthday! Last night while dad and I were laying in bed talking about our day, we started talking about how we cannot believe you are ONE! We started reminiscing about this first year that we have had a child and all the fun times we have had. We talked about the day we drove to the hospital and I didn't want to get out of the car because I was scared of becoming a mom. We talked about how glad we were to have your Aunt Sarah there in the delivery room and how much we loved your Dr. We talked about how great your Grandma Ellingson was to be with you and me that first week while you had to go to the hospital for your jaundice and how Aunt Danielle and Grandma B came to stay too! Grandma Ellingson showed me how to burp you really good and get all the little bubbles out of your tummy and Grandma B could hold you at your fussiest moments and you would calm right down. We talked about how hard it was at first to have a newborn with the sleepless nights and trying to figure everything out. But we also talked about how we wouldn't have it any other way because this past year we have grown so much and our lives have changed forever. We feel more confident, patient, relaxed and happy now that you are here with us! This year has gone so fast and it has been so fun to see you grow and hit different milestones.

  Oh the places you have gone this first year too! 19 states to be exact and 10 airplane rides. Countless hours driving to new places and new adventures.. AND numerous subway trips to fun places in New York. It has been a wild and fun first year and we are excited to continue see you grow! 

Thank you for being a part of our family and for being the first child in our hopefully growing family. We are so grateful for you and thank Heavenly Father each night in our prayers for such a sweet spirited little girl. 

A few stats at your ONE year mark:

- You can stand up onto things and {slowly} walk around them if you are holding on

- You can walk {ever so slowly} with a baby-walker at the playground

- You can understand the words "music" "blueberry" "mom" "dad" "doggie" "hi" "bye" "drink" "goodnight" "shake" "ball" "all done"

- You can sign the word "drink" with your hands and it's the cutest thing!

- You say "mama" and "dada"

- You love to sing, play in the bath and pool and be around people! The other day we were in rush hour on the subway and you LOVED being tightly packed between people so you could jabber away and touch people. You especially loved touching a mans hairy legs!:) 

- You are still napping twice a day for 1.5/2 hours and sleeping from 8pm-7am

- You love sitting on daddy's lap when he is working and taking all his pens out of his cupholder

- You love ALL food, especially oatmeal, fruit, eggs, CHEESE, smoothies and chicken

- I love hearing you wake up from your naps and just talk and sing to yourself until I come get you

- You are officially weaned from breast-feeding. This was a very sad day for mom since she loves that time with you but you have seemed to be okay with it and love your bottle just as much.