One

How can so many long days go by so quickly?

On the 23rd of March, Josie turned a year old. Everything I can say about how I'm feeling sounds like a sappy cliche', so I'm not even going to try.

Her party was so perfect. Josie has so many people who love her and came to celebrate her first year with us. When everyone started singing Happy Birthday to her, I got all weepy not just because my little girl is growing up, but because she is blessed with so many people who love her. We may not be able to give her all the material things we wish we could, but we are surrounding her with some really amazing people. I know she will be loved and encouraged, and will learn so much from all of you wonderful folks!

As if some little biological alarm clock went off in her brain, the week after her birthday was filled with new achievements for our little Bean. She went from crawling to cruising, and suddenly she has a whole vocabulary. She says Mama (finally!) instead of mamamamama and Daddy instead of dadadada. She also says doggy, kitty cat (of course - she IS my kid!), Puppy (her stuffed dog), yes, this, that, Brice (her cousin), Pop (Geoff's dad/her grandpa), hi, bye. Oh, and she sings E-I-E-I-O whenever she hears Old McDonald - though most of the time she leaves off the O and just repeats E-I-E-I over and over. She can point to her head and her nose and her feet - and can say head too. I'm babbling now - but I'm just so proud of everything she's learning. Sappy but true, she amazes me every single day.

So, her first year is behind us, and we're on to year two. I can't imagine loving her more, and yet everyday somehow I do. I can't wait to see who she becomes and what she does with her life - but I'm trying my best to enjoy every moment along the way. Even the longest of the long days.