Dear Evie On Your 1st Birthday

Dearest Evelyn,

You turned one just over a week ago. This letter is late, I know. I will start by apologizing for all the late blog posts and the lack of pictures and posts devoted to just you. I tried my best to capture your every moment but it is just not possible when you are a momma to three little ones. Maybe one day you will get to understand the incredible joys and difficult heartaches that go in to being a mommy.

Always know that I love you. My love will always follow you. Wherever you are. Wherever you go. Just like the book says. Know and feel that I love you.

You were our beautiful surprise and I am so thankful that you came when you did. Your timing was perfect. I can't imagine having waited any longer! You have completed our family. What would I do without your infectious smile or the sparkle in your eyes? Now it's been a whole year since you came in to my arms and I'm begging time to slow down. I know that you are my last baby and I don't want to let this time go!

You are already on the move. You started walking so early and have not stopped. You will go places, I'm sure of it. I can't wait to see where. You love to explore and are constantly walking around the house. Such a busy little monkey. You are usually carrying some sort of bowl or cup and are putting things in and out of it. I don't get it but hey, you are a baby. I love watching you play in your little foam tinker bell chair. It is your favourite place to sit, aside from my arms of course, though you don't sit much.

You are such a Momma's girl right now. I am cherishing that. I have a feeling you might have a pretty special connection with your Daddy though, after we get through this nursing season of our lives. You adore your big sisters, most of the time. You want to keep up with them so badly. They adore you right back and do almost anything to keep you happy. I can't wait to see your relationship with them grow.

Evie, you have blessed us more than you will ever know. I can't wait to see where you go in life, to walk beside you as you grow, and to love the beautiful woman you will become. I am already proud of you.

I will miss this first year of your life, your baby scent and your pudgy rolls. You are such a gift. Happy Birthday Angel! I am so thankful to be your Momma.

Love Mommy

My Baby is 1!

Wow, where did the time go? My baby is growing up and I'm not completely on board with that! She is such a perfect little end to our family. I feel complete… though there is something at the back of my mind that still thinks of adopting one more :)

This year has gone by so fast and we were so blessed in it. I was reminiscing about Evie's birth the other day and remembering how crazy and incredible it was. Labor with her was so much easier than with Livi. It progressed much faster than expected and in the end she was nearly born in the car on the highway! I had hoped it would be quieter and everyone would make it to see her be born but the way it turned out was pretty epic. I distinctly remember the nurses eyes when I came out of the elevator. 3 minutes later Evelyn came in to this world. She was pudgy and bruised from her quick decent but still one the most beautiful things I have had the privilege of seeing.

She was a very easy infant who nursed like a champ. Being able to nurse her for a year still feels like one of my best accomplishments. I was so scared I couldn't do it again. I'm not sure how much longer it will last now that we are past the year mark but I will follow her lead on that. I feel like it may be starting to end because I'm not producing as much as she would need to continue and have weaned her from night nursing for my own sanity. I'm happy with whatever happens from here on.

 Good morning birthday girl! Waking up on her birthday!

This past month held a lot of development for Evie, as usual. We tackled sleep training her which was very hard. I didn't have to sleep train either of her sisters. They both loved sleep! It was new territory for us. We pushed through the first two days which were the worst and now she is going to sleep much better and sleeping through the night without nursing. This makes for a much happier baby these days and is life changing for me!

Evelyn has 10 teeth now, her four front, top and bottom, and a set of molars, top and bottom. Teething has not been fun for her, or us. She has started talking a bit more with "mama, dada, done, and uh oh" She is definitely a not a talker. She doesn't have to be. There are four people who know exactly what she wants when she just points or gives a little whine. It will come though :) She is also a pro at walking now. She barely even crawls anymore. I love seeing it. She is too little to be walking as well as she does and is starting to tackle climbing now!

Evie still hates baths, or at least the part where she has to get her head wet. She screams, a lot. I hope she out grows this one day. Maybe we need to take her swimming more. She is an attention lover and between me and her sisters, she gets a lot of it. I'm hoping she gets a little more independent soon. I'm tired of the whining when she can't see me! She is fits very well as the baby of the family and has the personality for it.

This month we celebrated her first Christmas! I really enjoyed having a baby who was a little engaged in it. She liked opening the gifts with her sisters and really liked the super annoying remote toy they got for her.  Although we were away with Jon's extended family for Christmas on her actual birthday, we did have a small family birthday party for her on Jan 1. My sister made an amazing cake as usual and I loved watching her devour her first birthday cupcake. She was covered in pink icing!

 

Stats… Evie is a beautiful 23.5 pound one year old. Her eyes sparkle and squint when she smiles. She has a toothy, open mouth grin. Her laugh is very grown up and Livi remains the only one who can make her laugh until she can't breath. I'm actually jealous and in love with that fact. 

As per family tradition, did a birthday photo shoot! I had big plans for this one and had bought her adorable outfit a few months earlier. I am not a great photographer and my camera has bee dropped one to many times, so they did not turn out as great as I had hoped but I am happy. The short strand of pearls she is wearing around her neck are real and were a gift from my Grandfather to my Grandma. I think Evie wears them well :)

Happy Birthday Evelyn Jane! You are precious and adored. I am so thankful for you and am so blessed to be your mommy.