One Year

I think we’re all pretty familiar with the length of a year. Usually, it doesn’t seem like much. Another year at work, another year of seeing friends and family, another year of worrying and organizing, and prioritizing. But when you have a baby you realize just how big a year can be. Looking back over the last year I’ve often thought  “My gosh, it’s gone by so fast” but then I think about what exactly we have accomplished this year and it seems downright amazing. It’s been amazing to watch Elise grow from this red, screaming lump of baby into this downright funny, single-minded, and determined toddler. I can only imagine it from her perspective!  All of a sudden she can move where she wants, when she wants, she can communicate - at this point her favorite form of communication is pointing. It’s like following a treasure map. You’re not sure where you’re going to go, but when you come to a juncture Elise is ready to point you in the right direction… or at least the direction she wants to go. Turns out she’s usually pointing you to the back door. That kid LOVES being outside. Add chickens to the backyard (Mimi, Papa) and you can count on her just standing at the door, watching in awe, and talking to the chickens. I think if Elise were able to remember all that she’s accomplished in one year she’d be as stunned as we are, not to mention as excited as we are to see what comes next!

Before I had Elise I imagined myself quite the baby person and it’s true that I loved the sweet baby that I could force to sit with me and imagine that we were cuddling. But now that we’ve come up on this first of huge milestones for Elise I’ll admit that I am loving it!  Over the last year Ben and I have been the luckiest of parents to not only have been blessed with such a beautiful child, but one that is sweet and funny and an absolute joy to have. I can truthfully say that having her in our lives has made us not only better people, but truly made us a family.

Within the last month we’ve really started to see huge leaps and bounds in Elise’s development! One area that she’s still lagging behind in is size… I fear that people will look at her, look at me, and then wonder a) Why is that woman starving her baby and/or b) How did that baby come from that mama? Which is part of the reason I think I allowed myself to talked in to joining Boot Camp again. 5am, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. My brain is barely perfused that early in the morning, let alone my arms and legs. It’s only when I drop into my car at 6am that I’m really awake enough to start wondering “What the hell just happened?!” I am sore as all get out and I take comfort in knowing that that must be the fat running away. It’d better be. I hope that between boot camp, sleep deprivation, work, clinicals, and homework that I will  finally shed these last baby pounds. Who am I kidding… this is all pre-baby body. Still need to work on it though. Thank goodness for clothes with spandex and billowy blouses.

Anyhoo… back to Elise. She is still small. The carrot we’ve been chasing is the elusive doubled birth weight. Before her one-year appointment I had calculated that she would have to weigh in at 17 pounds, 4 oz to have doubled her birth weight … and sure enough she just barely squeaked by! 17 pounds, 8 oz!!! Ben and I were so proud. Then we read the “Your One Year Old” newsletter which told us that the majority of infants triple their birth weight by one year. At this rate she’s going to be in 9 month clothes and in a backward facing carseat for a loooong while. It’s so great to watch her - you can almost see the wheels turning in her head as she tries to figure out the how, who, and what of the world. She had randomly started saying Mama and Uh-Oh a couple months ago and in the last month has added Out and ByeBye and as of yesterday Puppy to her repertoire. Most exciting, she took her first steps yesterday. Sadly, I didn’t see them but she walked towards Daddy and that just made Ben’s day. She has discovered wonderful world of balloons and last night she stood up from a sitting position, bent down and picked up her balloon, then took 2 steps towards Daddy to give him the balloon. My big girl!!

There are times now when I look at Elise and it really strikes me that she’s growing into a kid - at times she’s still very much a baby like when she’s tired and wants to lay on you but so much more I look at her and see the little girl she’s growing into. We’ve definitely got some separation anxiety going on - she has smartly figured out that when she and I get in the car and head right that we’re heading to the babysitter and man, oh man! Does she get unhappy!! Thankfully (and I can tell because I stand outside with my ear to the door) she settles down after all of 30 seconds. Mimi and PaPa got Elise and Keegan their own little rocking chairs for their birthdays. The chair has become an instant favorite and Elise loves to push and pull her chair around the living room. She tries to angle it so that if she stands up in it she can reach the plant and pull leaves… thanks, Mom and Dad. And thanks to Ben teaching her “No No No” (while shaking her head and laughing) it’s somewhat difficult to discipline her. As she grabs the room deodorizer, or splashes in the dog bowls, or pulls down pictures off the bookcase we’ll tell her “Elise, no!” which is her cue to turn around, shake her head at you and laugh. Then turn back around and get back to trouble. The only real way to redirect is to physically remove her from the situation. This usually lasts as long as it takes her to get back to whatever it was she was doing. She may not look a lot like me, but as her little personality develops I see so much of me in her. Determined, knows what she wants, and frustrated if someone or something (like the wall or an electrical outlet cover) gets in her way!

It’s been fun watching her troubleshoot obstacles and gives me hope that she will grow into a scholarship-winning smarty pants! Towards that end we’re starting her off early with the country’s best babysitter… Sesame Street.