Another year passes but none have come close to this…
We celebrated Lily’s birthday on Saturday, her actual birth date. I had stayed up the previous nights working on decorations and Jake even helped the night before. We hung up pretty paper flag banners, dangled butterflies in the windows, streamers from one end of the room to the other, picked up balloons, set out the pink butterfly nets mom had picked up, placed the windmills and the flower pots all about. Lily has always loved butterflies and balloons, really anything that hangs, flies or dances in the wind and by golly, we were going to set the mood for her! We brought her downstairs that morning feeling more excited than I can ever remember. Jake headed down first with a video camera and soon we followed down the stairs and into the dining room (the best location to absorb all the goodness). Beautifully wrapped presents were on the floor sent by friends and family from afar and she “ooooo’d” and pointed at everything specifically, giving each decoration, each tissue paper, each flower it’s deserved admiration. She was enthralled.
Later that afternoon friends graced us with their celebratory smiles and generous gifts for Pea. Jake and I were actually a bit taken back by the outpouring of generosity and genuine love. I’m convinced Lily knew it was her day. She was in great spirits, full of smiles and giggles (especially for her cousins). Near the end of the party, she was walking with Joy and suddenly decided to stand up on her own for a solid 30 seconds. We captured the feat on camera, the little birthday card clinched between her teeth as if it were the only thing balancing the act. She just stared at everyone and no one moved a muscle until she fell gracefully to her knees and continued on.
I made her a separate (super big) cupcake to do with what she pleased. Expecting her to dive right into it, we video taped but she definitely ended up showing far more interest in the corn on the cob she had later that evening and certainly more enthusiasm for the asparagus she ate for the first time the next day. On her birthday though, she was in the best mood and even stayed up two hours past her bedtime to visit a little longer with Aunt Emmy and Uncle Zac. It was a great day.
Tonight I folded up her freshly cleaned, new birthday clothing and suddenly realized after the third shirt that something was very different. I was folding her clothes like I fold mine… her little clothes have gotten bigger and no longer need to be tucked into those rare folds. Auntie Judy got Lily some cute new bibs and I also suddenly realized that all her current bibs were WAY too small, embarrassingly too small. Her new bibs, which fit her size perfectly are like literally probably 10 times the size of the one she had worn at breakfast that morning.
I guess this past month has been an awakening. It started off when I first laid eyes on and then held sweet little Lucas DelleVechia. He was so handsome and precious but so tiny too, only 5 weeks old. It made me realize how big Lily has managed to grow. Jake was helping me fold up the laundry tonight and as he pulled out Lily’s berry stained, cupcake dress from the previous day, he asked, “Do you want to frame this?” (he was being serious) So it was confirmed, he had a great time celebrating her birthday too, a day that we’d both love to remember as often as possible. Yes, perhaps I will frame that dress.
Not only has she grown bigger in size but her personality has blossomed! She has learned so much in the past month, it blows my mind. When I visited Danielle and Faith in Denver a few weeks ago, we were at lunch talking about how cute and tiny little baby Faith’s feet and toes were…. I looked over at Lily and saw her staring at me with her foot held so high in the air, I was surprised she hadn’t slipped out of the chair. Hilarious. She’s quite aware of herself and her surroundings these days. Her favorite things to point at are the enormous Cotton Wood tree in our yard, ducks and dogs (she always chimes in “Dah” when she sees a dog), random strangers who interest her (for reasons only she understands) the butterflies in her room and lights/fans on the ceiling. She points with her pointer finger out and her thumb pointing up to the sky, looking like she’s giving ‘stick em’ ups’ to every one and thing that interests her.
She now knows how to communicate and show us that she understands. When asked to, she will pat her head, her nose, and her belly. She will lift her foot up if you ask her where her feet are, kick them upon request. She dances, claps and closes her eyes if asked to. She points out her stuffed animals’ and baby’s eyes, nose, mouth and loves kissing all of them on the mouth. She blows kisses to people she likes (this includes her family and even those random strangers who interest her… pretty funny how certain people will really strike her just right and she starts violently blowing kisses in their direction). Sometimes she’ll even give me a real smacker, and it always makes me giddy. Jake’s first day back at work was this morning, he had taken a month off with us previously, his delayed paternity leave from work. She gave him his first on-the-lips-kiss today before he left for the office and it was pretty sweet. I can’t imagine how hard it was to leave her. He’s a soldier.
The only hand sign she does on a regular basis is “all done”, that is until today when I decided to start exercising again after taking a few weeks off. She sat on my belly while I did crunches and suddenly she realized how to sign “MORE”. I was thrilled! But over and over she would sign more and every time I had no choice but to continue crunching. I am SO sore.
The other morning I was preparing Lily’s breakfast and she kept wandering off. I found myself saying things like, “Lily, come see momma. Lily, don’t you want some food? Lily, blueberries.” Once Maddy came galloping into the kitchen instead of Lily, I realized I always got Maddy to come to me by bribing her with similar coaxing. Later that day I heard myself say, “Lily, wanna go outside? Want to go for a walk?” When Maddy came running again, I realized this is how I used to call for her. I felt bad for the poor pup and then immediately questioned my parenting tactics. Thankfully though, I think my Lily is gaining a sense of humor.
Lily likes sticking her feet in my face when I’m dressing her or changing her diaper. She tries her hardest to get her toes into my nostrils because one time she actually managed to do this and I threw my head back and told her she had stinky toes! She thought that was hilarious and still dies laughing every time I tell her that her feet stink. When we’re eating together and I remind her to slow down and chew her food, she will tease me and chew the most exaggerated chew you’ve ever seen and then snicker through her nose. She’s also becoming snuggly. Sometimes she’ll look at me from across the room and make eye contact, then crawl as fast as she can over to my lap and bury her head in my chest. Melts my heart. She’s continued to give the best pats on the back and now we even get hugs. She is such a darling.
In some ways it’s hard to believe a year has already passed but in more ways, it’s incredibly hard to comprehend how all of the colossal love I’ve experienced, laughter I’ve unleashed, immense joy I’ve felt has all occurred in only one short year…. I feel as though it’s already been a lifetime of emotion and I thank God I have had the opportunity to experience all this richness in just one year. I feel blessed. I feel happy. I feel excited for every year to come.
To my sweet Pea~ You have come into my life and brightened my world. The very thought of you brings such love, laughter, delight and joy to my soul and goose bumps to my entire body. Two days ago I celebrated the best moment of my life and today and forever, I will cherish all that you have already given to me. My wish for you is to stay as curious and playful as you are today. When you see something you like, continue to passionately pursue it… just work on the patience thing a bit. Be kind and generous to those you love and those you do not know. As you do today, always giggle at least once every hour and don’t forget how to belly laugh too. Continue to pause and notice how the leaves dance on the trees and how butterflies float on the wind. Chuckle at the way the cool breeze blows through your bits of hair and continue to point out and talk about all the things that make you smile, and in whatever language you see fit. I loved you so deeply from the moment I met you and I feel so lucky to be in your presence today. You amaze me. I thank God that I am able to so closely watch this beautiful Lily blossom.
