Within two weeks of this:



Came this:



...because we don't mess around with our meal ticket.

First Day of School:




First Encounter with Bubble Wrap:

My sister married the love of her life on August 29th, 2009

Congratulations!!

more wedding photos here

I can't believe you have been around for an entire year. Even now when I look back at the picture of the day you were born, your tiny baby face looks exactly like YOU.



See?

Today, on your birthday, you are an incredibly easy going kid. You smile all the time and talk to us incessantly...if only we could understand a single word that you are saying I am sure it would be interesting.



You love it when I carry you around in the backpack, and I love it too (except for when you wrap your little fingers in my hair and pull as hard as you can - that gets a bit old) because it gives me a chance to be close to you. When you aren't in the backpack all you want to do is walk around (holding our fingers and breaking our backs) or crawl after your brother.



Your brother is pretty much the most fascinating thing in your life. All you want in the whole world is to be able to run around with the older kids, and if it was possible to make it happen by sheer will, then you would have figured out a way by now.

You are one of the strongest babies ever. You once brought me to my knees when you pulled my hair, and detangling from your grip sometimes takes more than one person to achieve. Hanging suspended from Abbey's fingers, you pulled your legs up into a perfect L. I joke that you will be a Russian Gymnast, but who knows? I often warn people who are holding you to be careful, you enjoy headbutting as a form of communication. It is actually very sweet, except when you aim for my nose.



You are starting to understand that we are separate people and are very sad when you can't see me. It is a hard thing to watch, since in every other aspect of your life you are fearless. You managed to climb to the top of the stairs while I wasn't paying attention, and you just grinned down at me, your legs waving in thin air. You are interested in everything and, at times, it seems like you are especially drawn to anything that you are not supposed to be playing with.



Everywhere we go people talk about how beautiful you are, and they are so right. You are a sweet and beautiful and brilliant little girl, and we are so very very lucky to have you.

Sometimes I think I catch a glimpse of the big kid the Creep is becoming in his little boy face...




And his sister has discovered a new hobby: