Easter B-Day!

The easter bunny came hopping along with eggs a many and little extras for the E chica! Since we all know how camera challenged I am, I have a link to E's first birthday photo shoot with Zoie! Have I mentioned how much we adore Zoie?
http://zoiebellephotography.com/proofs/0904-enelson/

I did manage to Elmo it up and she HATED the cake...I mean HATED, so she had cantaloupe!! That is one thing we aren't re-introducing for a while (the cake that is)!

I actually had to remind myself several times that it was her birthday as we didn't meet until 3 short weeks later and I did think about celebrating a family day and maybe we still will. I'm not gonna lie, my emotions ran high, but it was such a busy weekend I had very little time to just sit in the fact of who she is and where the year has gone. I did say several prayers for her birthmom that day that she have no regrets and be comforted. I feel for her a sadness that knocks me to the core and washes over me in unexpected moments like when E puts her head on my shoulder and I say I love you and she looks at me and knows I mean it. I still wonder why I am so lucky, but then the teething cries startle me back to the reality of raising little ones. So very blessed....

Here's some highlights of what she's got happenin'....
*Stands alone
*Mastered the stairs..both up and down (granted there's only 2, but she's got em!)
*Walks holding on to things or people
*LOVES Gymboree music class and dances to anything with a beat...with her whole body
*5 teeth...we both worked hard for those!
*Still hates the nursery
*might have a Chik Fil A addiction
*wants everything her sisters have
*STRONGLY DISLIKES her car seat
*Is officially the smallest baby I've held...19 pounds at her 1 year..compare that to kid#1 at 32 pounds...my back is grateful!
*Says mama, dada, gumball (dogs name), dog, duck, baby
*LOVES to turn pages in a book, especially if they have ducks in them!!
*Signs more, all done, kiss, thank you, and of course eat!
*Is seriously a joy to all of us, makes me laugh when she follows me around the house growling like a bear (thanks Rory for teaching her that one!).

This year is a year of walking this 3rd kid thing. She's no longer a baby, she looks toddlerish now. The temper tantrums are starting, the demands are getting greater, and she is no longer a guest here...she's one of the girls which is proven each time she pulls their hair and they yelp and she laughs hysterically! One of the girls....so very blessed...happy first E!