In 23 Days

This girl is turing one in less than a month. And every time I think about it, I get teary.

Cut it out, Mom. You're embarrassing me.

She's growing so fast now; it's blowing my mind. I had to move her up to size 18 month jammies this week. *tear*

Though she is swimming in them. Swimming in jammies makes you tired. Growing is hard.

Every morning she wakes up and makes new sounds. Her babbling has taken on actual inflection, and she is a master of mimicry.

She's perfected tongue-clicking, and she thinks it's hilarious. I do, too.

She's such a happy little thing. A ham and a half. She claps, dances, waves and gives a mean high-five.

That goofy, toothy grin. Where did my baby go?

Lately, she's begun to snuggle with us on purpose. Tiny, wrinkly babies are wonderful, and they smell good and they're squishy and sweet. But there's something about an almost-toddler who comes over to put her head on your chest for a quick cuddle, just because. I know that the challenges will become more complex in the coming years, but those tiny moments of baby-love have me thinking that maybe, somehow, it's worth it.

Then again, the meltdowns at every diaper change have me thinking...not so much. Give me my baby back!

Breaking my heart, this one.

Sigh. I've got a birthday cake to bake.