Aug 20, 2015

To Libby on your 1st Birthday

Libby,

I love you.  You are so cute. So happy. So Yourself.  I once heard a man on the radio say that he thought that opposite worked in only two directions until he had his third child.  I get it, now.  You are opposite of both Bruce and Stella.  I don't know how that works. You are playful and cuddly and smart. Scary smart.
Swinging at Memorial Day
You are a monkey.  My earliest walker.  10 and 1/2 months. I wasn't ready for that.  But you had places to go and big kids to keep up with.  I have often said that mobility agrees with you. You were the clingiest baby I have ever experienced.  Even Daddy couldn't hold you for long.  But now, now you're on the move and willing to go to other people.
Playing in the Sprinkler
You're getting more liberal with your smiles, like Stella. But you're stingy with your kisses, like Bruce. You have the same blonde hair and blue eyes as both of them.
Jealous because Daddy was holding Charlie
You have 8 teeth. Almost. I can feel sharp little number eight in there. You weigh just about what Stella did at her first birthday. That was a bit of a surprise since you started out so much bigger, but once you started to move there was no stopping you!
A Springtime Picnic

You still won't sleep through the night, but at least now you'll take a nap in your own bed.

You are a climber.  Two weeks ago you figured out the ladder for the slide.  It scares me to death, but you're so proud every. single. time. This week you added the ladder to Stella's top bunk.  I'm not ok with that one either!  You climb onto chairs, tables, laundry baskets, book crates, everything you can.
Showing off your new pajamas
You don't say much.  Mama, and hi and hey.  You don't really cry for me to come get you, you yell.  "Hey! Hey! Heeeeeyyy!"  It always makes us smile.  You might not have many words, but you sure do communicate!  For a while when you wanted more food at dinner you would stand up in your high chair and point. We moved you to a booster seat for your safety and our sanity! Your voice is almost husky. I think you'll sing alto.  You love music.
Uncle Henry and Aunt Kerri's Wedding Day
The only food I can be sure you will eat until you can't eat any more is blueberries.  You would eat a whole pint if I'd let you. You also like every other fruit you've encountered.  But you could live without bread or meat. You like brussel sprouts, you'll sometimes eat asparagus. But you spit out chicken every time.  You do like hot dogs, sausage, and much to your Daddy's chagrin, scrapple.  You've got plenty of Bingaman in there. PoPs and I joke that we've never met a junk meat we didn't like either!
Enjoying your first Watermelon
At your birthday party last weekend Bruce got you a stuffed Parrot. You love it.  Two days before Momom said you needed a soft-thing.  I said you wanted me to be your soft thing.  But you have decided the bird will be it.  I swear it's like you understood.
You knew what to do, Show off your present. This is Perdy.
You really do understand a lot.  I said you were smart.  You watch everything, and mimic everything. You want to be a big kid way more than I remember Stella and Bruce wanting it.
First Birthday Cake
I can't believe how fast this year has gone.  Some days I wonder how you ever learned your name. We call you Libby, LibbyDawn, Libs, LibbyBibby, Daddy sometimes calls you Little Bit.
You love to be wet
Bruce can't keep his hands off of you. He loves you so much. And Stella thinks she must be your mother, she wants to love and protect you all the time. You think that the sun rises and sets on them.  You love to be where they are, a part of what they're doing.  

We all love you, Libby.  We're so glad God put you in our family!