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My sweet baby girl turned 1.  I am so sad at the mark of 1 year with each baby.  I realize how quickly their babyhood has past and I will never have those days back.  Even though there is so much fun and joy with each new skill and discovery, I mourn for the days of a limp baby, asleep on my chest, the coos and stillness.  A baby is a baby for such a short while.  

This time it seemed to be worse than ever.  A couple weeks before Lilly's birthday, I drove past Hoag hospital, where she was born.  A wave of emotions swept over me as I remembered the moments of her birth.  I cried.  Those days together in the hospital, when all I had to do was lay in bed and look at her, marveling at my daughter, I will never forget them. Here she is now, standing in her high chair and helping me fix her birthday dinner.  She doesn't want to be left out of anything.  She already wants to be a big girl.
We had a little party for her.  Her cousin, Lizzy, and her buddy, Ella, were there.  There is a picture of the 3 of them a year ago, all snug in their mamma's arms, just weeks old.  Here they all are, sitting up  and feeding themselves.  It's amazing.

After dinner, the 3 of them tested out the tractor their big brothers love so much.  Lizzy and Ella kindly pushed the birthday girl around the driveway.

Look at them go!
Then it was time for cake.


Happy Birthday, dear Lilly, Happy Birthday to you!

Presents!  Dolls, strollers, girl toys, oh my!


I like this picture because much of what I remember about Lilly' first birthday is her screaming. She was just coming into it in the days leading up to her birthday and really seemed to hit her stride that day.  I know now that when she begins screaming she is tired and really just needs to go to bed.  But that day, I just felt like she was unhappy and very loud.  It is nice to remember she was happy at least some of the day.  

She has the greatest smile.  

Oh how I love my little, little, little Lillian.

Happy birthday girlie.