Happy First Birthday, Anna!

As I’m writing this, I’m watching the clock tick down and midnight arrive and the arrival of my youngest child’s first birthday.  Happy Birthday, Anna!

Birth Day:

This Friday is Anna’s one-year checkup, at which time I’ll delight with details of her weight and height.  However, in the meantime, here’s a little bit about her:

- A mama’s girl, through and through; Anna doesn’t exhibit “Stranger Danger” – she simply doesn’t like people very much.  Still.  So in that way, it’s “Everyone Danger”. 

Three Days Old:

- Anna is crawling, and on Mother’s Day, she crawled up the stairs for the very first time (in a fit of rage, to find her mama, who left her in the basement to go help dad!).  Anna doesn’t like to put much weight on her feet yet, but she’s getting there, and I’m sure we’ll have a walker in the next few months.

One Month Old:

- Anna has TWELVE teeth!  She has all of her tops and bottoms and four molars.  She didn’t really experience much difficulty with teething; I remember a few restless nights, but generally it was okay.  Or else I forgot.  Which I probably forgot.

Two Months Old:

- Anna is observant.  Yet, she isn’t quiet by any stretch of the imagination, and makes her feelings known.  Loudly.  Like, screeching at the top of her lungs.

Three Months Old:

- Anna likes to dance.  She can wiggle her little body like crazy.  In that way, she and her sisters complement each other well.

Four Months Old:

- Anna loves bananas, like her sister Raven.  She eats well and has blown past the “weight gain” issue from month six.  No utensils yet.  Loves to throw food on the floor when she’s done.  Especially if she thinks you are playing a game with her when you pick it back up again.

Five Months Old:

- Nicknames include: Anna Banana (from birth – maybe Day 1?), Booga Booga (maybe around 6 months), and Bubba (my endearment for her in the last month).  She answers to all three. 

Six Months Old:

- Words: “Uh oh”, and occasionally, “Mama” means “Mama”.  But also means, “WHY DID YOU SIT ME ON THE FLOOR AGAIN DON’T YOU KNOW I WANT YOU TO HOLD ME ALL THE TIME WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU WOMAN???”

Seven Months Old:

- Anna loves to be outdoors.  When she is outdoors, she loves to eat flowers, grass, dirt, etc.

Eight Months Old:

- Anna is terrified (what’s even more than terrified?) of dogs.  And cats.  And cows.  And generally, animal sounds (my goodness, do not pretend to be a dog around her, unless you are the size of her sisters).  Don’t show her YouTube videos of cows.  They are okay for a few minutes, and then she realizes that – OH MY GOSH THAT IS A LIVE ANIMAL – and she freaks.  Quite hilarious.  She doesn’t seem to mind birds and fish.

Nine Months Old:

- She doesn’t like being smothered by anyone.  She loves to be held.  However, she doesn’t like to be held down or “captured”.  She especially does not like this when her sisters do it to her.

Ten Months Old:

- Anna loves books but doesn’t love being read to.  She would rather go through them on her own.

Eleven Months Old:

- Anna doesn’t need to be held to drink a bottle or rocked to sleep.  But everyone once in a while, mommy gets that opportunity and she holds those last few shreds of quiet time and togetherness in her heart.

Sunday, May 12, 2013:

Happy birthday!  We love you, Anna!