This non-house-, non-flood-, non-robbery-related post is once again brought to you courtesy of the public library.
Anneliese isn't one yet. Not technically. She could have been one today, but.... she was (brace yourself, I haven't mentioned this in almost a year, but you can stand to hear about it now, right?) six days late.* One of these years, my kids' due dates will roll around and I won't think twice about it, or remember that for nine months, it was the date.
This is not that year.
Anyway, instead of Anneliese turning one today, she's... not. But she's a year old, gestationally, right? And that's old enough for a one-year update. So... here you go.
She's gorgeous. Is it getting tacky how often I mention this? I can't help it. I don't understand how she is so beautiful. How those eyes shine so bright. How that dimple makes my heart melt. How that grin makes everyone around her smile. I know I'm supposed to think she's the prettiest baby to every walk crawl sit on this planet, I'm her mommy. But I think even if I could be objective, it might be true.
She's flexible. This is a new thing in our family. I'm not sure if Anneliese is just hard-wired to be more go-with-the-flow than the rest of us, or if our own tightly-wound-ness just doesn't leave her much room to be too picky. Either way, she is pretty easy to have on the go, pretty easy to feed whatever we have on hand, pretty easy to handle switch-ups in her meal and sleep schedules, pretty easy to handle new people (finally!), pretty easy to have around in general. She's patient with us, slow to anger, and quick to laughter. I kind of want to be more like that when I grow up myself.
She's feisty. I don't think she has quite the outgoing personality of some other Bumgarners I know (ahem), but she's certainly the more, um... spirited of our two children. She's very happy, as long as she's stimulated. But she doesn't handle boredom well, and doesn't mind voicing her displeasure when she's had enough of being patient. Fortunately she's fairly easy to keep occupied (see above: flexible) and she has a big brother who is happy to oblige with (certain) toys, hugs, kisses, tickles, books and babbles. I've said it before, but it warrants saying again: there is almost nothing better in the world than my two babies playing and laughing with each other. Those people who said there's no greater gift than a sibling? I think Nathan and Anneliese probably agree.
She's a snuggler. And I praise the Lord for the sweet weight of her head every time she rests it on my shoulder. I freeze and don't move, because as long as my baby is hugging me, everything else in the world can just stand still and wait while I kiss her fuzzy head and smell her sweet slobbery baby smell. She's still nursing once a day, which means I don't have to give up that twenty minutes of having her in my arms every day just yet. Thank goodness.
She's slow. Still not crawling, still not walking. But she rolls over and over and over in her crib. And she can get up on all fours and rock back and forth when she's on a soft surface (like a bed). So we're calling it progress, and as long as we have progress, it can be as slow as she needs it to be. And hey, the more verbal she gets before she's mobile, the less babyproofing we have to do, right?
She's friendly and social. She has a sweet smile for almost anyone she sees, she likes to babble and giggle and laugh, and she's a decent communicator. She knows a handful of words that she uses regularly (mama, dada, ball, nay-nay, go, kkk -- that means truck) and she's got the no! head shake down pat. She wiggles when she hears music, she is starting to wave to people more consistently, and she claps and wiggles her feet when she's happy.
She's growing. As of this week, she's 18 lbs 8 oz (13th percentile) and 32.25 inchestall long (still off the charts.. too bad she's not shaping up to be much of an athlete, she has the physique for it!)... Her head is measuring on the smallish side, and we think she might have a little flat spot from sleeping in the same position all the time (we'll know more after her checkup next week), but right now we're just glad she's growing well!
But she's still our baby girl. Sweet Anneliese, I can't believe that a year ago today I was staring at my huge belly, wondering when I'd get to meet you. Daddy and I stand in awe at what a beautiful and happy child you've become. We love you. More than you know and understand, we love you. Happy due date, little Beanie.
*No, I'm not bitter. I'm actually loving being able to hold my kids' late births over their heads for the rest of their lives. That, and the fact that they both pooped inside me. Just sayin'.
Anneliese isn't one yet. Not technically. She could have been one today, but.... she was (brace yourself, I haven't mentioned this in almost a year, but you can stand to hear about it now, right?) six days late.* One of these years, my kids' due dates will roll around and I won't think twice about it, or remember that for nine months, it was the date.
This is not that year.
Anyway, instead of Anneliese turning one today, she's... not. But she's a year old, gestationally, right? And that's old enough for a one-year update. So... here you go.
She's gorgeous. Is it getting tacky how often I mention this? I can't help it. I don't understand how she is so beautiful. How those eyes shine so bright. How that dimple makes my heart melt. How that grin makes everyone around her smile. I know I'm supposed to think she's the prettiest baby to every walk crawl sit on this planet, I'm her mommy. But I think even if I could be objective, it might be true.
She's flexible. This is a new thing in our family. I'm not sure if Anneliese is just hard-wired to be more go-with-the-flow than the rest of us, or if our own tightly-wound-ness just doesn't leave her much room to be too picky. Either way, she is pretty easy to have on the go, pretty easy to feed whatever we have on hand, pretty easy to handle switch-ups in her meal and sleep schedules, pretty easy to handle new people (finally!), pretty easy to have around in general. She's patient with us, slow to anger, and quick to laughter. I kind of want to be more like that when I grow up myself.
She's feisty. I don't think she has quite the outgoing personality of some other Bumgarners I know (ahem), but she's certainly the more, um... spirited of our two children. She's very happy, as long as she's stimulated. But she doesn't handle boredom well, and doesn't mind voicing her displeasure when she's had enough of being patient. Fortunately she's fairly easy to keep occupied (see above: flexible) and she has a big brother who is happy to oblige with (certain) toys, hugs, kisses, tickles, books and babbles. I've said it before, but it warrants saying again: there is almost nothing better in the world than my two babies playing and laughing with each other. Those people who said there's no greater gift than a sibling? I think Nathan and Anneliese probably agree.
She's a snuggler. And I praise the Lord for the sweet weight of her head every time she rests it on my shoulder. I freeze and don't move, because as long as my baby is hugging me, everything else in the world can just stand still and wait while I kiss her fuzzy head and smell her sweet slobbery baby smell. She's still nursing once a day, which means I don't have to give up that twenty minutes of having her in my arms every day just yet. Thank goodness.
She's slow. Still not crawling, still not walking. But she rolls over and over and over in her crib. And she can get up on all fours and rock back and forth when she's on a soft surface (like a bed). So we're calling it progress, and as long as we have progress, it can be as slow as she needs it to be. And hey, the more verbal she gets before she's mobile, the less babyproofing we have to do, right?
She's friendly and social. She has a sweet smile for almost anyone she sees, she likes to babble and giggle and laugh, and she's a decent communicator. She knows a handful of words that she uses regularly (mama, dada, ball, nay-nay, go, kkk -- that means truck) and she's got the no! head shake down pat. She wiggles when she hears music, she is starting to wave to people more consistently, and she claps and wiggles her feet when she's happy.
She's growing. As of this week, she's 18 lbs 8 oz (13th percentile) and 32.25 inches
But she's still our baby girl. Sweet Anneliese, I can't believe that a year ago today I was staring at my huge belly, wondering when I'd get to meet you. Daddy and I stand in awe at what a beautiful and happy child you've become. We love you. More than you know and understand, we love you. Happy due date, little Beanie.
*No, I'm not bitter. I'm actually loving being able to hold my kids' late births over their heads for the rest of their lives. That, and the fact that they both pooped inside me. Just sayin'.
2 comments:
Aww! I LOVE that picture of Anneliese! And I personally have never seen her anything but extremely happy and smiley -- love that happy gal! Happy due date, little A! :)
P.S. You are so funny about this due date thing. You know only 1 out of 20 kids are born on their due date, right? :)
Congratulation from us to 1 year of the baby's parents, especially mom Erin! (right English?)
And of course a big hug to Anneliese:)
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