One Year

One year---one whole amazing, crazy, fun year has already passed that my beautiful angel, Claire, has been here.  So, this post is about reflection.

Throughout the day, I keep thinking about what I was doing at certain moments this time last year.  I know in the morning I had a doctor appointment, at which I was so annoyed with the doctors and nurses telling me I would give birth any day now even thought I was just 37 weeks.  My boss met me for lunch and I informed her I could no longer work up until my due date because I was so exhausted from being up all night with contractions (further explanation in my labor and delivery blog post).  The rest of the day was simple and lazy.  I took a nap, and laid around on the couch watching TV. 

When my husband came home that night we talked about Claire, and how soon we would see her.  I couldn't even believe I was already to the point of giving birth.  At the time, it felt like it was yesterday that I had a positive pregnancy test.  We went to bed and talked for a few hours about our journey, and really how it was only beginning.  In the process of our discussion, my water broke.  Ten, LONG, hours later I welcomed my sweet baby girl.  How blessed I am that everything went so smoothly without complications.

Over the past year, I have watched her grow from a tiny 6 pound tater tot, to a 24 pound toddler!  Her little squawks quickly turned into "ahhs" and "oohs", followed by her first words (mama, dada, pete, wow, dog, done and her new favorite--NO).  She definitely is a more verbal baby than physical.  She was spouting out words rather quickly, and she already engages you in conversation by her rambling "sentences" and hand gestures and expressive face.  Not quite a walker, but very mobile.  Claire started rolling over at 5 months, but it wasn't until 9.5 - 10 months that she started crawling.  At 10 months it seems like everything happened at once.  She got her first tooth, she started crawling, pulling herself up on furniture, then walking along furniture and now she is working on standing by herself.   I am very content in the fact that she isn't walking.  I feel blessed that milestones are happening gradually with her, not so quickly that she grows up too fast! 

Even thought it is so emotional saying goodbye to my baby, it is very exciting thinking about the many things to come.  I am so anticipating hearing her little voice talk to me in a way that I can actually understand.  When she starts walking, it opens up a whole new world for her--to watch her explore will be such a blessing.  The future is very bright, so this is just a bitter-sweet moment.  The hardest part is saying "goodbye" to breastfeeding.  My last day is tomorrow, her 1st birth date. I am crying just thinking about it right now.  I could go on about the hard things, but I want to stay positive.  This is such a special time.  She is my world, I cant imagine it any different.