I owe this girl some photos.
(warning: this is a long post)
We've been taking turns being sick at our house for the past several weeks, and while I was very tempted to drag her outside for some photos, I just couldn't do it. Not with the runny nose, and watery eyes. Poor baby. Those photos will just have to wait (I'm already over doing it as is, right?) Anyway, a week or two back in between drippy noses, we had a nice sunny afternoon and the light was good enough to get a few simple ones of my one-year-old girl. Her best friend, Ruby, gave her the pretty headband for her birthday (her talented Mommy made it ;) And the hat was her brothers. These may be it for her one-year-milestone-marking-photos - or with any luck we will all get healthy and have a nice, dry, warm day when I will do a few more for her. We will see. I kinda like how simple these turned out, anyway - that's generally our style...
simple. natural. beauty.
Aspen,
After your first couple of months, I was truly going to swear you would be a blue-eyed girl. But no. Just like your brother, your eyes took a very long time to "settle" and you ended up with these gorgeous and very unique hazel/gray eyes. They are so beautiful - and oh those looooong lashes. You are such a pretty girl.
Growing up, you may get called "cute". (I was always "cute" and really wanted to be "beautiful" or "pretty"). Well, you are cute. But, just so you know, you are more than cute.
You are so so pretty.
A True Beauty.
I will never forget a few weeks ago when we were in the airport, I was wearing you and running around to different places grabbing a quick "lunch" for us to eat while we waited to board our next flight. A woman came up to me, put her hand on my shoulder, and said "You are effortlessly beautiful. Look at you - wearing a baby and a skirt, hands completely full - so calm" It was about the best compliment of my life. No makeup. Hair tied up in a knot. Yes, a skirt - and flip flops. What she saw wasn't my lack of make up. She saw the kind of beauty that comes when you are busy with what you love. I hope you always know that true beauty doesn't come from any kind of bottle - I hope you learn to be comfortable and confident in your own skin. You'll probably be better at makeup and all that girly jazz than I am - most women are - just know that you don't need it to be pretty. You already are :)
I hope you always look at yourself and see the beauty not only in your sparkly eyes or curly golden hair - but the beauty within you. You are so pure and beautiful from the inside, out.
You are such a happy girl.
Your smile lights up your whole face.
This past week, you took your first steps.
Oh, the joy!
You looove singing, dancing, and music.
It cracks me up big time when we are driving somewhere listening to music, and you are "singing" along and Sawyer says, rather loudly "Aspen - stop singing, they are singing (and he points to the speakers)I'm sure we'll hear that often as you continue to develop your singing voice.
You also love books, and reading.
Lately, your favorites are Moo, Baa, La La La (it's just darling when you say those three words - especially the La La La), Down by the Bay, Hand Hand Fingers Thumb (dum ditty dum, you like to drum), and Silly Sally.
You say Mama, Dada, and a few other words - one of our favorites is when you do your monkey sounds. You sign a few, too. But the best is that when you wake up in the morning (in our bed, usually) you roll over, open your eyes, put your nose right in front of my face and say "HA!" which is how you say "hi".
You and your brother are developing such a fun relationship. You absolutely love crawling up onto his little bed and you sit there together, looking at books. Although, since you can stand up and all - now you get up there and you both try to be little monkeys and jump on the bed. I don't mind as long as I'm right there :) You little squirts! You totally egg your brother on, and laugh at everything he does. I love it, even though I know it will probably lead to mischief, eventually.
Another love, and I mean, you do a happy little dance every night about this - you LOVE your bath.
Some days, you beg to take a shower and a bath. Pretty much anytime you can, you want in that water. And you're learning to splash back at your bro.
Things you aren't as fond of...
baby food. Gave it up a while back because all you want is to be a big girl at the table with us. You sit in a booster seat and haven't used a high chair for several months. You like a placemat, your own utencils, and a big girl cup (I have to help with the cup). You looove peaches and fruit. You loooove Greek Yogurt (as do I!) But you're kinda a picky eater. You point to what you want and shake your head at what you don't. I sometimes worry you don't eat enough...but you make up for it with Mommy's milk.
You love to nurse.
Lately, you will basically start pointing at my shirt, then start grabbing at it and looking in - you know, like "give me those things, now!" We are not in a rush to give up our nursing relationship. I love that it gives us special time together and that I can still nourish you in that special way.
Sleep.
Well, you've always been kind of a party animal at night.
You do take nice naps - you're starting to move toward consolidating the two into one, which in lots of ways, will make life easier. You have transitioned well to your crib for naps. Nighttime is still a little tricky - with the shared room and all - but doing better day by day. You go down to sleep in your crib, but generally at some point - you join us back in our bed in the wee morning hours.
Alright, speaking of sleep - I am a very poor example of healthy sleep habits. I think I need to reform my ways if I want to teach you healthy sleep habits (ie writing blog posts at 2am?)
With that said, and lots of rambling here, I will sign off. I just wanted to write a few things down while I was thinking of them. Next project: working on your first year book. That said...
On to toddlerhood, little one!
