One

Congratulations Lila Claire! You have successfully completed your first year of life! In that short period of time, you've managed to go from this...

...to this!

Your gift to yourself? A bruise on the cheek, acquired whilst climbing on Mason's Anywhere Chair and falling. (Not the first time you tried that trick, but the second time.)

Our gift to you? These snazzy anklets. They have garnered you a new nickname--"Jingle."

Your accomplishments during that time include (in no particular order):

celebrating your first birthday toothless, just like your brother Cole. Can you beat his record and hold out until 14 months to get a tooth? Might as well aim high. ;

turning diaper changing into an Olympic Sport;

eating table food like a Hoover vac;

triumphantly using anything not nailed to the floor as a walker (Who cares if you're scratching the daylights out of the wood floors by pushing a giant plastic dinosaur all over the place? You've got mobility.);

still squeezing into much of your Size 3-6 month couture;

becoming a very successful and accomplished food beggar;

developing a strange affinity for socks, both yours and those belonging to others;

going from hating baths so much you'd think we were torturing you, to loving baths so much that on a couple of occasions you've come dangerously close to diving into the tub when your brothers were taking their turn;

making us all fall completely in love with you!

In the next year, you can look forward to:

teething (let's all pray it goes easy on you);

further developing your plan to take over the world (you thought that was a secret?);

walking, and therefore giving your brothers a run for their money;

running, and therefore giving your mama a run for her money;

wearing the army of adorable shoes your mother has assembled for you, now that you need them for the aforementioned walking and running;

talking (I am certain you will say something profound);

and charming the pants off of everyone you meet.


All in all, you've had a very successful year. We can't wait to see what's in store for the next one--no doubt you've got some tricks up your sleeve.

They allege that you are a toddler now, but to us you're still our BabyGirl.


With Love and Adoration,

Your Mama, Your Papa, and your crazy big brothers