Emmeline’s ONE!!!

Emmeline turned one a week ago today.  It’s a good thing that you can’t do damage by too much loving, cause we love this little girl a lot.  All of us.  A whole lot.  Maybe that’s why she is such a loving little one year old.   This year has just flown by.  What is it with time, the more kids you have, the more you cherish them as babies and the faster their babyhood flies by?  When Hazel was a baby I remember listening to the cheesy MoTab song with these lyrics: “Turn around and their one, turn around and their four, turn around and they’re a young lad walking out of the door.”  I remember thinking those were ridiculous lyrics.  It seemed that the only thing that was happening when I turned around was that she was hungry/poopy/sleepy/crying again and again, and again.   That same song came on the iPod on Sunday and brought me to tears…as cheesy as it is, I know what they’re talking about…..these years are just flying by.  My little double chin chubby newborn is one!  It seems like just yesterday was the Sunday we brought her home and had a little birthday party for her on her very birthday.  And now, here she is….an almost toddling,well loved little one year old cuddler.  She has completely changed our family for the better.  She’s filled our walls with that contagious full body belly laugh, she’s cuddled us and loved us almost as much as we have cuddled and loved her.  Poor little third child didn’t get a single new present from any of us  but I don’t think she felt unloved.  The kids dug to the bottom of the toy boxes and found all their forgotten treasures and spent all day wrapping them up and making cards for little Emmie Rose. She was as pleased as could be.  I love these pictures….I’m not sure who was more excited, Hazel, Charlie or Emmeline.  There is something so magical about having big kids and babies together.     I think her favorite present was the big stuffed dog that I’d put away in the basement.  She fell head over heels.  This little girl is our most loving, cuddly baby.  If she sees or feels anything soft she has to nuzzle on in for a long heavy hug.  Oh, it’s pure gold.  I’ve always craved a cuddly baby.Another hit present was the banana wrapped up in tin foil.  You wouldn't guess by her excitement that she gets one of these every morning (though not wrapped in tin foil). Luckily she did get two real, new presents.  Grandma S. sent an adorable doll which she can’t stop hugging and kissing and our neighbor gave her a toy cell phone……which is a clear winner. (she may have inherited that fascination with fire from me)Hazel and Charlie decided that Emmeline’s tradition should be to get messy on her birthday.  Don’t know if that one will stick, but she sure enjoyed it on her first birthday. Top 10 things I love about Emmeline right now:

1. those big brown puppy dog eyes that look especially puppyish when she sports her new pig tails.

2. that sad little single tear that seems to always be on her cheek in pictures.  it’s sad, but adorable at the same time. 

3. her enthusiasm.  i’ve never met a more enthusiastic baby….it may have to do with the fact that she spends most of her time watching Hazel and Charlie run around like little fire crackers.

4. her babbling.  she’s quite a little baby talker and babbles in the most adorable low quiet voice.  The only recognizable sounds she makes are “da da" (and she totally knows when to say it and what it means, she loves her dad) and “uh-oh” (her first word….hopefully that’s not a sign of things to come).   

5. the way she communicates the most important things with her two signs.  First, when she’s done eating and she catches your glance she’ll quickly raise both her arms with plenty of expression as if she’s scored a touch down to indicate that she’s done and wants out.  Second, if you ask her if she wants something (a ba ba, her lammie, a banana) she’ll wriggle her whole little body around to say yes and look at you with those big brown eyes in anticipation.  It’s utterly adorable.

6. her laugh.  it’s a Charlie laugh.  a deep belly, contagious, full body laugh. i love it.

7. she loves to be dropped onto the bed and thrown around by her dad.  did I say she loves her dad? 

8. how she watches her big brother and sister and follows them around. 

9. her big open mouth kisses that she’ll now give on que.

10. her cuddles.  she’ll cuddle with anything and anyone soft.  and she’ll stay.  it’s a heart melter.

we love you little Lemon Lime!