One year ago, we put a baby into a car seat, put that seat into our car, and drove away without anyone stopping us. We were all so tired that the three of us climbed right into bed and took a nap, and my new baby slept on my chest. It was overwhelming, exciting, daunting, surreal, but most of all, peaceful. Everything felt right with our family now that we had Paige. This year has carried on those feelings and added many more. There's been so much pride over watching her grow and achieve new milestones. I've never felt more complete in my life calling than as a mother. It makes sense of everything. It's also been difficult, as any parent can attest to. It's not easy to know what to do when, or if, you should or shouldn't be doing something to help your child. I wish I could parent Paige perfectly, but I've had my fair share of mistakes so far. Still, overall, I've kept her alive for a year, so that counts for something, right?
Paige is a talented, smart, active, friendly, and sweet girl. She has grown up so much, I'm sure I'm going to miss some detail about her that's new this month, but we'll try. She's talking a lot more. She pretty distinctly says "yes," "Mom," and "Dad." She also understands what I'm saying most of the time, too. A few weeks ago, she was playing contently on the floor and then crawled up to my chair and looked at me and started babbling at me. I then asked her, "Are you ready for a nap?" She then clearly said, "Yes." So I picked her up and gave Paige her binkie and she took it and laid her head on me. I took her to her room and put her down without a complaint. She then had a good nap. It was really adorable that she asked to sleep and was able to communicate that to me without a struggle (though that's not always the case).
Hearing other moms talk about how their children struggle to sleep through the nights makes me grateful for Paige's good sleeping habits. She still has two naps a day, one around 11:00, and one again between 2 and 3 or so. Each nap is about 45 minutes, which isn't long, but it's enough. We have a good bedtime routine of pajamas, nursing, song, prayer, and kisses. In total, it takes about ten minutes, and then she's able to put herself to sleep. Her bedtime is 8:00 and she'll usually sleep through the night and not wake except to nurse once in the morning around 7, and then go back to sleep until 9 or so.
Paige loves food. She still nurses frequently through the day. She had a bit of sickness a few weeks ago and nursed almost constantly for days, but that helped her overcome the cold quicker. She also loves solids. She eats a lot of crackers, cheerios, cheese sticks. clementines, bananas, sweet potato, mashed potato, scrambled eggs, bread, applesauce, peaches, fruit cocktail, pasta, and whatever I'm eating. She knows when I'm eating and loves to beg at my feet, especially when it's for sweets. She throws food off her tray when she's done eating, and she's not a big fan of vegetables, but she is willing to taste anything.
Paige has become braver with walking and ended up taking some undeniable strides last night. She still prefers crawling because she's fast with it, but she loves standing to explore things, especially if she has something to hold on to or climb over. We've been encouraging her to walk with no sign of success until yesterday. She's become a real toddler to me, which is crazy, but true. Paige is also a dancer already. As soon as she's stable on her feet, I know her dancing will just improve.
She is very playful and loves when Stephen or I get down on the floor with her and wrestle or chase her. She wants to help us on our computers too, and loves to sit in our laps as we work. I'm trying to teach her to give high fives, and she'll hold out her hand--she thinks it's funny. She loves being tossed in the air. At night, when we choose what to sing, sometimes we pick the Primary song "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam" and toss her in the air throughout the song. Her favorite toy is our box of recycling that she'll dump on the floor and throw the contents around the kitchen. Paige is also a good helper and loves to pitch in when it is time to do chores, especially the dishwasher.
We had a photo shoot last week with the amazing Jen Kastleman. She did Paige's newborn photos last year, so it was fun to see the updated comparison. Paige did amazing during the photo session, even though she skipped her morning nap. I loved how adorable they came out. Paige was cheesing it up at points and loved the attention she got. Jen did a perfect job--if you need a photographer, check her out.
The local zoo had a free day that Paige and I went to with some friends. She wasn't feeling all that well and ended up sleeping in the baby carrier half the time, but still did really well. She was interested in the animals, but I know she'll enjoy it more in the future. Still, I really enjoyed it. Zoos are more fun with little kids and babies. I feel like she's old enough now that I can start doing things for her enjoyment rather than just her tagging along. I'm excited for that.
I'm excited for all the new life experiences this next year will bring, and I'm humbled by the ones we've had so far. To say Paige is a blessing in my life is an understatement. To say she is a wonderful baby with such a special personality and demeanor doesn't do her justice. To say I love her with my whole soul and want to spend my entire life making her smile and laugh is only a glimpse at how I feel. I hope one day she'll understand how special she is to the world, to God, to her family, and to me. I love you, Paige!
