Twelve Months of Memories, Milestones, and Motherhood

12 months? 1 whole year?! Has it really been that long? And how in the world have we made it?!

With Annie, each new phase is my favorite. I love watching her learn and explore and try new things and absorb the world around her. She's my favorite little buddy, and I love being her mama. Before I do a big birthday post, here's a bit about what we did this last month.

Height: 28.5 inches

Weight: 17 lbs 1 oz

Milestones and Firsts: Running, if that counts as a milestone. This girl is everywhere. So busy, all the time. She loves trying to put things over her head. Necklaces, hats, blankets, purse straps, swimsuit bottoms, you name it. The other day, she came in so proud of herself for getting her a shirt over her head. I helped her out of it, but it was on again in two minutes so I let her walk around with two shirts on. We also started hair-dos this month, which is just way more adorableness than I can even handle.

Nicknames: Stinkles, Stinklehead, Princess, Baby kid, Teeny sweet

Favorite Things: Otterpops, watermelon, swimming, dance parties, Facetime, singing, Primary, other little kids, Baby Einstein, Curious George

Daddy playing the Annie-guitar

I promise, she likes it. The sun was just bright.

Dislikes: getting her diaper changed. Again. She flails and rolls and whines and kicks. Little stinker... And being told she can't do something. She's started this awesome (not), loud grunt/whine of dissatisfaction if something is not to her liking. This was her grunting at me after she made a mess with her dinner.

Things We Did This Month:

• Visited the Anita Farnsworth (my great-aunt) Children's Library at BYU. Annie couldn't believe all the books! She'd wander down the isles pulling whatever caught her attention and plop down on the floor to "read" her favorites. I just let her explore and pick her own books. I'm so glad she loves books so much. And it's adorable that she's getting old enough to "read" to herself. We chose three to take home with us, but we'll definitely be back! And made a lunch date out of it, too.

• Fort-building! One day, Annie was driving me crazy. I had a lot of stuff to get done around the house, but she was sick of being couped up inside. I called my mom, exasperated, and she suggested making a little blanket fort for her to play in, something new to erase the boredom. So I unfolded our card table and tossed a few blankets over it, and stuck a flashlight inside. And that girl was in heaven! She thought it was hilarious to run in and out, back and forth. And we got a kick out of it, too. (ignore my high-pitched voice)

• This past month was full of family. Family reunions and my senior recital meant people were coming and going almost all month long. Annie and I got to meet a lot of Tucker's extended family at the Olsen and Tucker family reunions the first weekend in June. My whole family, plus Granny, 2 aunts, and 8 cousins came up for my recital. My family stayed longer while Jace and Luke were at EFY. And then Tucker's family was back up this weekend on their way to another reunion in Idaho. Annie absolutely loved running and playing with cousins and her little aunts and uncles. To everyone's surprise, Annie left her usually clingy, shy self behind and embraced all the newness with excitement, smiles, and enough charm to enchant the whole clan.

Stealing Great-Grandpa Tucker's Pepsi

adventuring with the uncles

biffed it in the dirt, but didn't even bat an eye!

After taking a bath with Tressie, Annie went to find Curious George and ran back to the bath before anyone could stop her.
Apparently George needed a bath, too.

• For Christmas, my parents gave us vouchers for the Seven Peaks Pass of All Passes, and we finally got them! We just decided one day to grab our swimsuits and towels and head over to check it out. Annie loved it! And I loved it too. I love that it's only open to pass-holders in the mornings and that it's not as big and crazy as SunSplash or Big Surf. Annie loved the wave pool and lazy river. She'd just sit and splash and splash in the shallow parts and then go running to her daddy. Once or twice, she tried going to fast and fell face first, but we'd pull her up sputtering and coughing with a big giant smile on her face. It was so fun that we decided to make it a weekly outing.

    

Moments to Remember:

• Her first lemon! While Tucker's mom was up here for reunions, we went to dinner, and a lemon came on the edge of my drink. I handed it to Annie to see what she would do, and I can't decide if I'm disappointed or just impressed! She LOVED it! And she sucked it on and off for the next hour. Crazy girl!

• "Baby projects." That's what I call all those things she just has to do for who knows why. Like unfolding the laundry. Or hauling toys from one room to the other. Or unloading the tupperware drawer. Or opening all the cupboards. Ya know, baby projects. My favorite one of hers was while we were at the Olsen reunion. She found this empty red bucket that previously held drinks and hauled it around finding "treasures" to put it in. She had a cup with a little bit of water in it, a soggy roll in the cup, and another half-eaten roll. And she towed that thing around with the biggest grin, busy as can be!

stolen from MIL's blog

• Way too early Fathers' Day morning, Annie woke up so I brought her to bed with us. Once she settled down again, it was time for me to get up and start making Fathers' Day breakfast. I peeked in to check on them, and saw this tenderness. They'd scooted closer together. I love how they love each other.

The Little Things: Teeny girl is not so teeny anymore. Still 10th percentile (and still in 3-6mo clothes), but more toddler than baby. I still treasure those quiet moments before her bed time where she snuggles in to nurse. Those are the moments when she's still a baby. I'm not sure how long we'll keep nursing. But for now, we both still need it. I feel like it's the one way I've always succeeded at in being her mom. And it gives us just a few quiet minutes together. I love how independent she's becoming. She still makes sure Mom is in sight, but she loves to venture off and chase other kids and do her own thing. I love how she holds dolls (or any toy, really) up on her shoulder and pats them. I love the endless peek-a-boo and silly giggles. I love that she snuggles her bunny to sleep. I love her forced laugh when anyone around her laughs and her instantaneous clapping anytime someone says "Yay!" Mostly, I just love her little self! She's so stinkin' cute and stubborn and snuggly and feisty and so so pretty. I can't get enough of her sweet, blonde hair and those sparkly, blue eyes. Being this teeny girl's mom just gets better and better!