1 year old girl!!!

Well, I am a day late in sitting down to write about this incredibly special girl. We didn't exactly celebrate her 1st birthday the way we had planned. The kids passed around a virus this past week and all but Caitlyn had high fevers and sore throats. Dakota was the last to get it so she spent her birthday yesterday feeling sick and grumpy. At least she didn't even know it was her birthday! Caitlyn had big plans of decorating with balloons, making a birthday banner and cupcakes...she's my party girl. She spent what seemed like the entire day working on little projects for Dakota. Dakota did manage to smile a few times in the day but overall she was feeling miserable.

Today we spent the day outside and thankfully she was feeling much better.

As I went through the pictures above I was almost in tears. OK, maybe it was just the pregnancy hormones kicking in, but I could not help but think once again how fast the first year of her life flew by. She is turning into a little girl and obviously showing quite the personality. I love how each picture reveals a little bit of who she is. She actually reminds me a lot of my baby pictures...especially the funny faces. HA!

I cherish every moment that I am blessed to share with her. I am blessed, indeed, and so thankful to have the chance to mother her. I pray for continued guidance and grace in learning how to parent her even better as the years go by. That really is an overall theme here in this house...grace. I need it every moment! And, although she looks incredibly fun in all of her pictures she can definitely be one little stinker. She is very verbal...especially when she doesn't get her way. Something we are definitely working on around here. In watching her development, she reminds me so much of her big brother. She is definitely a climber, which at times is so scary. She loves to climb up onto the kids table and really is learning to climb more and more. Thankfully she is also very cautious and careful with every step...that doesn't remind me so much of her brother!

I pray that the Lord would continue to watch over her little life and reveal to her the incredible love that He has for her. She truly is one loved little girl. I though back yesterday about Cailtyn's first birthday party. We had a lot of family and friends that came and very much enjoyed the time together. Dakota obviously didn't get a party her first year, but one thing kept coming to my mind as I watched each of her siblings really try to make her day special... and that is, how much she is loved. We had a family party and there was more than enough love to go around. How incredibly thankful I am for our family and pray also that they would continue to love each other and grow closer over the years.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY DODA!! WE LOVE YOU!!!