O-N-E

My dear Princess Alayna,

When Dr. Anderson announced "It's a Girl!", I could hardly believe it....and neither could your daddy. Both of us thought, "what are we going to do with a little girl?" And your daddy went a step further and said, "I guess it's time to buy a shot gun". Once the initial shock of being the parents of a big (8 pounds, 8 oz) little girl wore off, we were so excited! And we were just amazed by how much you looked just like your big brother.

You endured a lot during your first couple of nights "on the outside". Your bilirubin levels were too high to allow you to go home with me, so we spent your third night in a "tanning bed" in the Pediatric Unit. I was so sad because I could only hold you long enough to nurse you. I was never so excited for you to make a poopy diaper.

Our first picture as a family of 4....being discharged from the hospital.

Your brother was so proud to hold you all by himself....and he's been very protective of you ever since we brought you home.

You've had quite a year, young lady. Your daddy and I are so very proud of you. We've had a lot of fun watching you grow and learn about the world. You now have 13 teeth: 8 on top and 5 on the bottom, including 3 of your 1st year molars. You now weight 25.5 lbs (95%) and are 29.5 in. (75%) tall. You love to snuggle and will remove your paci after I pick you up out of your crib (first thing in the AM or after nap) and give me a kiss. You started walking about 3 weeks ago and sometimes forget that you can't move as fast as you want to, resulting in a face-plant. You still don't like cow's milk (or soy milk for that matter), but you love to drink water from your sippy cup. You are still taking 2 naps/day and are usually ready for bed around 8PM. You want to go everywhere your big brother is, and you get upset if you can't go out to the garage with "the boys". You definitely know how to throw a tantrum....as your grandma says, "she came by the drama honestly". I have no idea what she is talking about. *wink*

You make us laugh every day, Laney....and we just love that about you. We can't wait to see what the next year brings.

We took you to Chili's for your official birthday dinner since we partied a few days before. You enjoyed quesadilla, salmon, french fries, and black beans.Happy 1st Year! We love you, Princess, and thank God for blessing us with you.

Love,

Mommy (and Daddy & Josiah)