Lyla is One!!

My baby is one! Where has this year gone? This had been one of the hardest and most rewarding years of my life. Being a new mother requires a lot of change and learning, and that is what this year has been for me, a change of lifestyle and continuous trial and error as I try to learn how to be a mother; most importantly a mother to Lyla. From day one, Lyla has been a very smiley baby and she continues be a very happy and smiley baby. As she has gotten older and smarter, she has also developed a fair amount of sass and independence. Also, from day one Lyla has been particular about what she does and doesn't like, now she is just much more vocal about it. I am not kidding when I say Lyla is always on the move, the girl does not sit still for two seconds! Not only does she not sit still, she has no fear. Just the other day she wanted to jump of a 8 foot drop into a foam pit and got mad at me because I wouldn't let her. I feel like I constantly have to watch her because you never know what great idea she is going to get next. The other day I was cooking breakfast and turned around to see her standing up in her high chair, proud as ever! She is the youngest cousin on both sides, for a couple more weeks at least, so she is always trying to keep up with the big kids. She thinks she is a lot bigger than she really is and tries a lot of things that would result in injury if I didn't watch her like a hawk.  Lyla is miss independent. She wants to do everything herself, even if she doesn't know how to, and she thinks she knows how to do a lot more than she really does. However, she is learning more and more each day. I love watching her learn, and take in everything around her. She is so curious and she wants to touch and see everything in her surroundings. She loves other kids, especially her cousins! She is instantly happy when she has another kid to play with!

Here is a list of her latest tricks and favorites:
 - Can now go up and down the stairs on her own, I still have to watch her because sometimes she tries to walk down them which she can't do.
 - Says: Mama, daddy, ook (look), uh-oh, dan- dan- dan (dance, dance, dance) and repeats a lot of sounds and words but doesn't know what they mean.
- When music comes on she starts shaking her head and body saying "dan dan dan" for dance. Then starts turning in circles.
- Just cut her 5th tooth, and is working on 3 more I think.
- Favorite foods: strawberries, oranges, capri suns, crackers, cheese, and macaroni & cheese.
- Loves to swim
- Says "daddy" whenever someone walks in the door.
- Loves to jump on tramps
- Very generous "smoochie" giver
- Gives high fives

My sister in law Kim is an AMAZING photographer and took some 1 year pictures for me of Lyla. We went to a park and that probably wasn't the smartest idea because Lyla just wanted to play on the playground and kept running over to it. Needless to say, it was very difficult to get something other than an action shot of her.

Lyla is such a sweet girl! I sometimes get so frustrated by her constantly making messes, getting into things she shouldn't, not taking good naps, always getting hurt, and the list could go on but when it really comes down it, she is a sweet, happy, funny, smart, and loving little girl who simply wants to explore the world around her. I could not love her more!!