7.23.2012

Dear Jillian (1 year)

Dear Jillian,


WE MADE IT! Your Dad and I have managed to keep you alive, thriving, and mostly happy for an entire 12 months. In the words of a comedian your Dad heard once, "I know a hamster, bird, and a fish that wouldn't be very happy if they found out." 



It's amazing to me how much you have changed not only in one year's time, but especially in the last few months. You're definitely growing out of the "baby" stage...something that makes me happy and sad all at the same time.


You talk SO much. Not always in words that we can actually understand, but you definitely know what you're talking about- especially when you pretend to read books, it's probably my favorite thing that you do. The REAL words you say are: mama, dada, shoes, snack, night-night, hi, juice, uh-oh, no, stairs ("strs"), and cheese ("chs"). You also say the phrase "who is it?" a bajillion times a day- any time you see a picture or hear a phone ring. It's pretty cute. You TRY to say lots of other words too. Today I said "delicious" and you said "is-us". Good effort, kid. More than anything it surprises me how much you understand. You know when I tell you to go to the stairs, to your high chair, the bathtub, where someone is, if we're going outside, and other stuff like that. 



You're definitely in no hurry to walk by yourself. You're still too afraid to balance. Although we were at a pond with your cousins the other day and you let go of my hand and stood there for a solid 5 seconds by yourself, which is the first and only time you've done that. But you definitely cruise around the house using furniture and walls to help you out. You'll get there soon enough. You've always been further along intellectually than physically. :-) It's all of those books you've been reading...The Hungry Caterpillar teaches a lot...


What little hair you have is FINALLY long enough to put into two teeny tiny pig-tails! The front is still pretty short though, so we work with what we have. Most days you rock the piggies with a skinny headband. I think you'll have a full head of hair...when you're 3. 



I'm not sure where you learned to be so dramatic, but you've learned to throw quite the tantrum when you want to. It only happens when I take something away from you that you shouldn't have or move you away from something. You either arch your back and scream, or throw your face down to the floor and bury your head in your hands, and scream. I'm not sure how to tell you that me not letting you play with the light socket is actually a good thing. You just don't believe me. (Oh, and we have those safety plugs, but you've learned to pull them out). 


You LOVE being around other kids. It's funny because you think you're one of them and try so hard to keep up with them (but the whole not walking thing kind of gets in your way). It's so fun to watch you around your cousins Milly and Eliza. You even tried to say "Milly" today! I hope you girls stay close as you grow up.

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You hate being fed. You'd much rather do it yourself. Lately you chew everything and spit it out, so most of your meal ends up on your bib or back on your tray. It's not because you don't like the food (I think), I think you just try to chew it with all of your teeth in the front and it just slips right on outta there. Speaking of teeth, I think your 1 year-old molars are coming in because you are a drool factory! 


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It's been one of the hardest, yet best years of our lives. You've helped me grow and learn so much and I can only imagine that you'll continue to help me do that (especially when you get to those teenage years!) You are one of the greatest blessings and we just adore you!


I love you!
Mom

1 comment:

  1. Holy cow...Jillian is 1! She is getting so big! Her smiles are adorable!

    ReplyDelete

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