Q Turns One

Q turning one was a little more emotionally draining than I had envisioned. I was both trying to remember the time of her birth and trying to not remember it TOO hard, while simultaneously juggling a conflict with a friend, the news of the death of a classmate, some disturbing dreams, a lack of sleep, and feelings of loss due to stopping breastfeeding (well, pumping). Add to that the realization that my little baby is now officially a "toddler", and you have one emotionally drained mama. I tried to go to bed nice and early tonight, but I lay in bed with my eyes open and thoughts racing and conceded that I might as well put my hands to good use recording the incidents of today: Q's birthday.

For her birthday, her dad and I got her a classic wooden rocking horse. I found the biggest bow I could find, and we set it in front of her by the big bay window in the muted winter light. She was delighted when we showed her how to sit on it and pushed her back and forth--then she began to wobble vigorously in an attempt to rock it on her own, though I think she'll have to grow a little taller to accomplish that feat. She opened up presents from Florida Grandma, who watched over Skype, and then we all took a nice morning nap.

Her birthday lunch was a smashing success--particularly the little "smash cake" that Q dug into with utter abandon, to the delight of her guests. And then--and I think this is the true mark of success for a party--the birthday girl was whisked away to take a bath right in the middle of her own party. With the exception of her cake smashing, during which she wore only her diaper, Q was attired in a beautiful little dress given to her by her Great Grandma. She had a toddler friend and her fellow baby cousin to the party, and they all made basic attempts at "sharing" and ignoring each other by turn.

If Q asks me what she was like at age one, this is what I would say: You were pale with strawberry-blond "duck fluff" that was just beginning to resemble real hair. You were of average weight and height for your age and had impressively adorable arm rolls. Whenever you were experiencing something new, you would become very "serious" and observant, which basically translated into you never smiling at strangers. Once you warmed up, though, you could smile and laugh with the best of them. You could say "Mama," "Dada," "Nana," (Nanners) "Gaga," (Grandma) and "Khhhh" (cat). You could understand "Book," "Give it here," "Walk," and "No" (among other things). You loved to be read to and to sit on the floor and flip through your books. You walked tentatively, depending on your mood. You bounced up and down to music. You liked to try to eat cat food (but would spit it out when Mama held out her hand), shake the baby gate at the top of the stairs (we had to move furniture in front of it to prevent you from doing so), and shake the flat screen TV in the living room (we had to move furniture in front of that, too). You liked when we put raspberries on your fingers so that you could eat them, but you were beginning to display a dislike for vegetables and would spit them out of your mouth and then drop the remnants on the floor. You were messy, playful, serious, loveable, and the most impressive human being that Mommy and Daddy had ever laid eyes on.

Thanks for a wonderful year of being our precious little baby. We look forward (with dread) to toddlerhood.