Amazing Julia- 15 1/2 months old

Julia,

It's very hard to keep up with you these days! It doesn't seem that long ago that we were celebrating your first steps...but granted that was in August, and you've now been walking for over 6 months! Every time you leap forward- sometimes literally- it seems like you master your new steps immediately and they seem just like another tool in your belt. You're a natural. And, naturally, you've been growing by leaps and bounds since your first birthday.

I can't even begin to enumerate all the amazing things you do, because you do so many amazing things that it's hard to keep count! It's hard to not take some of these steps for granted because you just keep piling them on.

You climb. Whenever and wherever you can.

It started innocently enough with the slide.

And then assisted with some stairs.

 
But before Thanksgiving, and before we knew it, you were climbing up to the kitchen table.

 And then the bathroom sink. 

 

And the couch, and stairs unassisted, and whatever else you could find:

You have a sense of humor!

 

 

 You talk: it started out with just Mama. But soon after you started saying "bubba" for Aidan and "gaga" for Dada. You love saying "Mimi" and "Yaya" and "Baba" and "Ba" ("pops" is a bit hard to say).

You started saying "ay-oooo" - which is hard to write, but it's very clearly- intonation wise and in usage- "thank you."

You say "Yo yo" for Joseph...and yogurt.

You say "bow wow" for dogs. But lately, you've gotten even better at saying "Do-jeee" (which is either "Toby" or "doggy." But, you also just call them "boys."

You LOVE "wah wah" (water)...love drinking it...love playing in it. Love everything about it.


You have your own distinct word for "Banana" and "watermelon." Though, I can't even begin to try type up how you say them.

You LOVE babies too. You hold dolls of all kind- some baby dolls, some spider-men, some shreks- and rock them and sing "baybee....baybee...baybee."

You also love living babies too. Every other child who's not Aidan is pretty much "baybee" to you. Asher is "baby." Brady...maybe you're saying "baydee"...but it's a close race.

And, recently, you started saying "Cheese!"

(you've been saying it for the food, but recently extrapolated it to other meanings)

 

 And recently, you masted "Aidan"...and are putting it to good use. You wake up from naps calling his name, wanting to play. And you can also tell him what to do by name as well!

You also recently mastered my name: "Dah dee." You say it so properly that it just sometimes breaks my heart. One morning I was getting ready to go to work and I heard you asking her where I was: "mama.... daddy?"

I came out of the bathroom and you saw me: "DADDY!!!!" You wanted me to hold you, so I did and we cuddled for a few minutes. When it was time for me to go, I gave you back to Mommy, which is normally 100% a-okay. But this time, you cried: "Daddy...Daddy!"

I did go to work, and missed you so much, as I always do. But, as I always do as well, I came home to hear you talk to your "daddy" even more!

You're so so active!

You run!

You wrestle!


You joke!

 

You reach, and bounce, and stack, and eat as good as any of the big kids!

 

You sing!



You are smart:

 You love animals (stuffed and real):

 

 And...you love, love, love.

 

 

 

And we all love you. You are growing so much, dear Julia, and we couldn't be more proud to be part of your life every day.

Birthday Girl- Julia is one!

Jules, I know that I frequently say "I can't believe that you're this old" or "that old." Well, you just turned one and- while I want to say I can't believe it, the truth is that I CAN and DO believe it. What I can't believe is that you're ONLY one year old. This year has flow by so quickly, and you've grown up so fast. You are an integral member of the family and have been for as long as I can remember. You have been here forever in my mind's eye; and we are the better for it. You may still not have much hair (thank goodness you have such an adorable head), and still hanging tight with only 7 teeth, but you smart, brave, funny, talkative, curious, even-tempered, loving and beautiful. You are one year old- 365 days- and you are your own person, unique in every way. You know what you want (bananas! shoes! baby!) and you tell us with your "words" (some of which are starting to sound curiously like English), or by pointing, or simply by going and getting yourself.

You've made such an impact on so many lives already- most importantly your brother, your mother, Toby, Preston and me. I am so thankful to have you as my daughter. And, as the song I sing you most nights goes, "there could never be a father loves his daughter more than I love you."

The week before your birthday, all of your American cousins and most of your Aunts and Uncles came up to celebrate with you!

You had ice cream and brownies, got some beautiful gifts, and enjoyed your family's company very much!

On your birthday proper- October 11th- I was fortunate enough to not have to go to work in the morning, so we got to spend the morning together.

You may have been a bit more interested in the tissue paper than the little gift your Mom and I got you, but that's a-okay. It was just fun giving it to you and being with you on the morning of the one year

anniversary of your birth. 

I remember holding you one year ago.

I was there when you came out, and you came into this world very calmly, and very loved. Not much has changed in those two regards: you're still pretty calm and even-tempered, and you're still very much loved.

You are so playful, curious, smart, funny, brave and pretty much all-around amazing.

See, even still photos are no match for your personality, my princess.

And they never were. You've grown from this:

To this:

To this:  

To this:

And now...

You are a brilliant, talkative, funny, sharp, brave, strong, beautiful young lady, Julia.

You LOVE bananas. 

You say "Mama," "Yaya," "Yee Haw!" and "Dada." You even have your own little words that sound close enough to (and are therefore used for,) "This," "That," "Dog" ("Bow wow"),  "Neigh neigh," "Ribbit," and "Banana."

You are tall and skinny. Doctor says you are in the 90th percentile for height and only 25th for weight.

You love books, you love your Mama, and Daddy and Brother. And your Mama... a lot. 

You are a cuddler, and a hugger. You give away kisses, and give me the best greetings when I come home from work (you come screaming, running at me!).

You are one year old, and you are an amazing young lady. We are so excited to see what wonders year 2 will bring!