12 Month Cutie.

She's a whole year old now!

It shall be noted that Annalee is ONE. And I committed to taking her photos each month and by golly, we did it! I will make her photo montage of each month, just like I did for Eli. I may have posted his first year photo montage on his actual first birthday (when did I have time to do that!?) and I'm just shooting to have Annalee's done in her birth month! In my defense, we just got internet today so now I can do blogging and photo editing and other time wasters again.

A few milestones to note for our sweet:

• Those top two teeth DID come in so she is becoming less vampire-ish by the day. 
• She can now go down stairs, feet first. She has also fallen down but without getting injured, praise God.
• Her hair is getting long, especially in the back. I think I could almost put it in a tiny pony tail. Too bad I'm not a hair person.
• She smacks her lips when she sees something she wants! It's adorable now but maybe odd someday if she doesn't stop. 
• I saw her take a step this weekend, as did my dad. And today she took two mini ones to get closer to Eli. 
• She stands often on her own these days. And she's short. And it's so cute. She'll bend down to pick up toys and stand up again. And she will dance a little diddly sometimes.
• Annalee sounds like a mini dinosaur when she's worked up. Which is often.
• She's gone full days without formula, just whole milk. She didn't like the cold at first but seems to be transitioning okay. The days of pumping are but a memory and although I'd wish our story in that to be different, I'm glad she seems to be doing okay. 
• We went out for pizza on her birthday night after I racked my brain thinking of what food she liked. She loved it. She still eats some baby food but enjoys feeding herself.
• She locked up the computer by typing on it today. She loves buttons now.
• Annalee loves attention from grandparents and they love giving it! Grammy calls her Annie. Grandpa Lloyd calls her Anna (the German pronunciation) at times. 
• Grandma is going to write 'the annals of annalee' and include how Annalee broke her big glass lamp a few weeks ago. It was a disaster (think glass in thousands of pieces on the carpet). That girl.

I am so, so grateful Annalee is here and alive and healthy. Not a given. Such a gift. We celebrated her milestone on Saturday in a very intentional way. After learning a little two-year-old girl with a heart defect passed away, a young woman died of brain cancer, and a miscarriage dear to us all happened days before Annalee's birthday, I was again struck by the truth that the Lord gives and the Lord takes away. This side of heaven, we don't have many answers. But we trust in Him. And we celebrate when He gives abundantly. Annalee is a big 'ol package of grace and love towards us. I'm grateful for each day we have with her and I pray they are many. Blessed be the Name of the Lord.

-Heather