Twelve Months Old!!!

Here we are at a year. Hope you didn't blink. I have to say, I have really tried to heed the advice from the wise mothers I know who have told me soak it all in and enjoy it. I have definitely enjoyed this year. It was a great year! Marin is so much fun and Jason and I have loved every day.

One Year Stats:

20 pounds

29 1/2 inches long

Here's what Marin's doing at 12 months:

* She is very loving and has turned into a bit of a serial hugger. She is very affectionate, especially with people her size. There is a new child at Ms. Kathy's- a boy named Kevin. On Kevin's first full day, I watched Marin size him up for about 5 seconds, then quickly move into the full blown hug, promptly knocking poor Kevin to the floor. Kai, who we all know is her one true love (after Daddy of course) got a hug, a pat on the back AND a kiss!

* Marin's new favorite thing to do is talk on the phone. I don't know where she gets this, because I really don't talk on the phone that much, but Marin might need a calling plan of her own. She has a little play phone that she walks around the house holding up to her ear saying, "Oh? Dada?" It's hilarious. She really loves to get her hands on a real phone the best. And she knows all phone types- blackberries, cell phones, LAN line phones. She holds them all up to her ear and is pleased as punch to walk around like she's a teenager giggling with her girlfriends.

* Marin's dance repertoire has expanded to include the foot stomp and the circle twirl. When she hears a song that she really loves, she stomps her foot out to the side. And when she really gets going she twirls in circles around the room until she's so dizzy she falls to the ground. And then- she just gets back up and starts all over again! The Itsy Bitsy Spider is among the favorite of her songs, but she has added a few new songs to her playlist, thanks to Auntie Mika. She loves the ABC's, Apples and Bananas and Happy Birthday! (which we have sung no less than 5 times already today!)

* She's still talking up a storm in her own little language. She is also really trying to imitate sounds now. In the bath the other day she held the duck up to me and I said, "Yes, that is a duck." and she responded, "Du?". And, I know this sounds ridiculous, but twice now when I have handed something to her she has said to me, "ta ooo!" and I swear it sounds just like she is saying "thank you". I know you're probably rolling your eyes at me saying there is no way she knows how to say this, but it really does sound like she is saying thank you! Coincidence? Maybe, but I'll take it. :)

* Marin's favorite new game is peek-a-boo. She is playing it a lot. She loves to hide peek out from behind the curtains and crack herself up. She also loves to do this with the sheets or her blankets. The other day when I dropped her off at daycare, she ran to the laundry room, found a sheet on the floor said, "eh!" to get Miss Kathy and my attention. When we looked her way, she immediately threw the sheet up over her face to play peek-a-boo. She thinks this is the funniest thing ever.

* Marin also loves "this little piggie". I do this funny deep voice for "this little piggie had ROAST BEEF!" and she laughs like I am a stand up comedian. It is especially funny to me that she acts as if it is new material, even though I do the same thing again and again every night. Nothing like a one year old to boost your self confidence.

* Her girly side is really shining through. She has been carrying around a purse at Miss Kathy's now for about two weeks. Every day it is the same pink purse. At home with she carries her play purse, bags, or really anything with a handle. We find funny things in those bags. She just collects things she finds around the house, dumps them in her bag, throws it over her shoulder, and moves on to the next room!

* Marin is really into playing with Norah now. She has finally learned to let go of the rope, so that she doesn't get dragged quite as much now when they play rope toss. Although, Marin has also learned that if she takes the rope and runs with it, that Norah will chase her. This cracks Marin up as she runs around squealing and giggling, but Norah only gets frustrated and looks back and me like, "Ugh, she took it! That is not how the game goes!"

* Marin is still sleeping and eating well. We put her to bed every night after a snuggle and our prayers, and she just rolls right to her side with her pink bear, (uncreatively named "pinkberry" by yours truly), and falls asleep. She wants to try anything and everything off of our plates, and wants to eat it like we do. For example, she doesn't want you to break the cracker apart for her, she wants to eat it whole like the big kids. Which is funny, because she still doesn't have a single tooth. Not one.

* She loves to climb stairs and is very proud when she does so. She crawls up our stairs so quickly, that I have had to run after her to catch her a few times. The only thing is, she is not so good at getting down. She has gone down a few steps at my parents house a handful of times, but she doesn't like to sit down and go around backwards. She wants to step down like the adults do. So, she stands at the top of the stairs and says, "eehhh! eeehhh!" for you to come and hold her hand so she can step down. Something to work on, for sure.

Where did the year go? Have I already written 12 of these? I guess so. And here we are. One year old. It really is amazing how much children learn in their first year of life. We've certainly come a long way. Thanks for reading!