1st Birthday

Yesterday was Liliana's first birthday.  I can't believe it has already been a year since she was born.  Everyone told me the time will go by quickly, but I didn't really believe them--but oh my, they were right.  It feels like just yesterday I was in the hospital getting ready to deliver her.  And often I think of when she was a newborn...I was soooo cautious in everything I did with her.  Truthfully, I'll probably be cautious with the next one too--maybe only slightly less cautious.

Liliana was and is the perfect baby.  Even as a newborn she hardly ever cried.  I read "The Happiest Baby on the Block" when she was just days old, and I remember thinking that many of the suggestions didn't apply to me because I didn't have that problem.  (Although I loved the book and recommend it to anyone).  My sister came to visit when Liliana was just a few weeks old.  The sleeping arrangements were such that Adam slept in another room so that my sister could sleep in the same room as me and the baby.  I remember telling her to wake me in the middle of the night when if she heard Lili wake up without me knowing so I could go to her crib to get her and feed her.  I say that because when Liliana would wake up to nurse, she would just wake up and start making little "baby noises"--she didn't really scream or cry.  Looking back she was a great, great baby!  She still is very good!  She's very happy--all the time.  We are very blessed to have such a beautiful, healthy, smiling child all the time!

So her first birthday.  In the beginning I wanted to make it really big and special...but since we're away from family and we don't have that many really close friends in Omaha I thought we could do something small.  Adam made her a cake, and I bought a couple presents for her to open.  She was wake before Adam left to school, so he got to play with her for a few minutes before heading off.  I took her to the gym (she loves playing at the gym) like we do every day.  Adam came home from school early, and he already arranged to have the day off from work.  After her nap we went swimming for the first time.  Liliana LOVED being in the water!  We were there about an hour, then all of a sudden a ton of people started showing up so we decided to leave and go to a splash pad in the area.  She had so much fun playing in the water, eating strawberries, and watching the other kids run around.  When we came home, Lili was tired so we put her down for a nap, and when she woke up she opened presents and ate her cake.  We had dinner plans at 6 o'clock so we kind of had to rush--but not really, we just needed to be mindful of the time.

She loved the toys she got from grandma and my sister!  The toys talk and sing to her--that will be a lot of fun for her, but not so much for me!  =)

Here are some things about my 1 year old child:

At her last weigh-in (about a week ago) she was 18.5lbs (she was sick; she lost weight).

She's petite.

She smiles all the time, and she has this big cheesey smile she does.

She still only has 2 teeth, but she eats EVERYTHING.  There isn't anything she doesn't like.  Although there are some things she likes more than others.  I keep meaning to go to Whole Foods to get some beets so she can try them.  I love beets, and I'm sure she will too--well, hopefully.

She's learning to share.  She does this by "giving" you whatever item straight in your face.  (She nearly knocked over a little baby at church when she shoved her little stuffed animal in her face in an attempt to "share" it with her).  

She likes being around other children.  She loves following the "big kids" around.

She folds her arms for prayers, and she smiles and claps her hands when we say "Amen"--that's partly our fault, we excitedly say "Amen" over and over trying to get her to say it...so far it hasn't worked...she just gets excited.  Haha

We have dance parties every day--now when she hears any sort of music she "dances".

She gives kisses...mostly open mouth kisses...

She knows the sound of the dishwasher and refrigerator opening.  When she hears them, she comes running.  And oh yes, she's learning to run.

She only sleeps in her crib--which is good and bad.  She falls asleep in her car seat once in a blue moon, and that's only if she's dead tired.  She never falls asleep at church--ugh!
She also gives sympathy coughs.  If she hears someone coughing or sneezing, she start coughing a few times.
 

And...last but not least...she's VERY cute.  We love her lots and lots!