One Year Old

We went from this:









To This:





In like TWO seconds!
How did that happen? How did I not manage to freeze time and make her stay a baby? She doesn't want to sit in my lap these days. She twists her way to the floor, off on a grand adventure (the most recent through two boxes of tampons). I am so die hard in love with my kids, but Abby still has the smell of freedom and goodness and purity and innocence and eternity. I think one of the hardest things about watching kids grow up is seeing the stain of mortality take shape. I know the reasons, I embrace them, in fact. I just wish....I could capture this. The beauty of discovery and learning that occurs before a child begins to notice "the real world." Wesley still has it a little but I wanted to just hold tight to this one. She came into the world with such trama. Seeing an IV sticking out of your baby's head is enough to make you a little skittish. Then, the heart murmur, trouble with vaccinations (nothing too serious thank heaven), and even a direct hit from a football to her perfect 4 month old head. The kid has me on my toes 24/7. I worry about her. I'm not a worry mom really but she is my baby. My last gift to the world through the miracle of my reproductive system (oh and that handsome guy...what was his name??). I wanted to savor this last year. Record evey moment in my mind and on paper. Oh, yeah. I have 3 other kids. I go to school full time. My consolation is that when she is 18 she and I will do cool stuff like high adventure, and concerts and prom. Right mom?

Happy Birthday Abigail!