This Abundant Life: One Year Old!

* This should have been posted Thursday, but I was slacking: too busy enjoying my birthday girl.

Dear Clare,
It's amazing to think that a whole year has gone by since you first entered the world screaming, bright pink and wrinkled, with those chalky-white fingers and little nails that already needed cutting. That day is so clear in my memory that it seems as if it only just happened. I remember crying when I heard your first cry, and both of us wanted so badly to hold you and hug you. Your daddy watched you get all cleaned up, weighed and measured. You scored a 9 on your Apgar and they say only doctors' kids get 10's. So we knew right away you were a keeper. ;-)

Looking back you seemed so tiny, but you weighed a good 8 pounds, 6 ounces. When we finally got those crazy legs of yours swaddled, you calmed right down and slept. At the time, it seemed you were awake more often than the average newborn (but what did we know). In hindsight you slept a lot.

2 weeks old

When you were a little over a month old, we took you camping. You loved every minute of being outside. At the time, it felt like you'd always be wearing that little harness to help your hips develop correctly. Now I need pictures to remind me you had to wear it.

1 month old

3 months old

You dished out smiles on a regular basis. I loved that little gummy smile!

4 months old

I loved being home with you to see you reach all those little milestones. Toe-sucking probably isn't on any milestone chart, but we thought it was pretty special when you found those little piggies.

5 months old

You and Molly spent a lot of time together. Molly tolerates all the paw-grabbing and whisker-pulling now because she knows you'll be throwing her ball when you get a little older.

6 months old

7 months old

Pureed venison, an instant hit.

8 months old

You have always loved spending time outside, even on those chilly winter days when you were all bundled up with drippy eyes and nose...

9 months old

This is your signature "something went wrong" move: hands on the chest. I've seen you use it when your walker bumps into something and won't go any further, when you touch a texture you don't like, when you're reprimanded after touching an outlet. Sometimes you babble to yourself at the same time.

10 months old

Who would have thought you wouldn't fit into the cute 12 month Easter dress your Auntie Leah bought you last year? We had to put an 18 month dress on you instead and it fit perfectly.