Happy Birthday Liliana!

Liliana dearest,

This month marks the last of Daddy's and my monthly letters to you because believe it or not, you turned a year old a few days ago ... I can't believe it.  I must admit that I cried about 10 times the week before because I knew you were no longer a tiny baby ... you're growing in to my gorgeous sweet girl. On May 20th, before we put you to bed, I took you in my arms and tears were streaming down my face.  I knew that when you woke up the next morning, you wouldn't be "11 months" when people asked.  You would now be an entire year old!

 You were such a pretty and happy girl on your birthday!

You're not quite walking yet, although you cruise and walk behind ANYTHING in sight.  You don't only walk behind your actual walker ... you think your high chair makes an excellent one and believe the same about the bubble wrap we bought to help secure our things when we move!  I think you'll probably be walking pretty darn soon here.

 I don't know why, but seeing you all naked is adorable.

At your yearly check-up we received some wonderful news!  Dr. Scott said your verbal skills were in the NINETEEN month range!  You really do say QUITE A FEW words...about 20 last time I counted.  My favorite ones are:

(1) Bye Bye
(2) Hello
(3) Hi
(4) Peek a Boo
(5) Doggie
(6) Ball
(7) Shhh
(8) Uh oh
(9) Zapatos (the only words you say in Spanish ... shoes ... you really are my daughter!)

 Look at you walking in for your big birthday debut!  You were the star of the party!

He seemed really impressed by this, and we are too!  Whenever we're in stores with people, they always act amazed that you look them in the eye, wave, say "bye bye" and then proceed to blow them a kiss.  They're shocked when I say you're only 11 or 12 months old.  Just before you turned one, you started with the "hello" or "hi" with your wave too.  To say you get attention when we're out is a complete understatement.  In fact, Mommy counted the other day ... we were in Home Depot for EXACTLY 30 minutes and THIRTY people came to say how beautiful or how charismatic you were.  This is what we've been going through for AN ENTIRE YEAR.  We have never been able to go out without at least ten people saying ooh and ahh to you.  I honestly don't blame them though.  You just have something about you ... that thing that attracts others to you.  You're perfect.

 Your eyes are HUMONGOUS.  They never really changed colors after you were born, so we never have been able to ascertain what color they are ... our best guess is green, gray?  DEADLY combination with your dark hair and olive complexion! 

Daddy's going to have to be beating the boys off with a stick!

At your 1 year old visit, you weighed 21.5 pounds and were 30 inches.  You were in the 75th percentile for both.  Pretty impressive for a preemie!  You were wearing size 3 diapers, although we quickly transitioned you to size 4's in the evening right after your birthday to help you not wake up with pee pee everywhere.  You had five teeth on your birthday!  In ONE WEEK you had three teeth come out the day before your birthday.  It was quite eventful but as usual, you handled it like a pro.

 You went through THREE birthday outfits.  Mommy only bought one of them ... but I am SO glad others had bought you some because you got kinda dirty when you got a hold of your cake .......

 Oh yes ... this happened.

Some of my favorite things that you do are:

(1) give people high fives whenever they put their hand up
(2) look at Linda (the dog) and say "the doggie!" and then bark (it's the cutest thing...you bark like a beagle and tilt your little head up while saying "ooooo")
(3) you take my cell phone and put it up to your ear and make babbling noises as though you're having a conversation with someone
(4) you brush my hair and your hair (even though you still don't have much of it)
(5) You point at your feet, say zapato, point at the shoe, and then lie on your back with your feet straight up in the air.  I guess you like having your shoes on! ; )

Thank you for being our daughter.  I simply adore you.  I think you are THE BEST baby any set of parents could have asked for ... we are so thrilled we had a baby girl first ... you fit us perfectly.  I LOVE YOU.

I think you like frosting ...

Love with ALL her heart,

Mommy