growing up gretta

Dearest Gretta Rose,

One year old. 12 months. 52 weeks. 365 days. 8,766 hours.

Feels like I blinked.

I've been thinking the past week what I wanted to write in your Birthday letter. Time flies and it seems that you, baby, change by the minute. I'm sure grateful I have all the monthly updates, but I still feel like there are so many little daily things that I miss. You're just adorable and it's all the little things I never want to forget. Which is why this last monthly letter will be a little different than the others. The best way for us to remember our little bundle called Gretta is to capture a day with you. So here sweet Gigi, is our 12 hours (or 14) with you at 12 months from mommy's perspective. 

7:00 Roscoe wakes me up. You and him are early birds and usually wake up everyday right at 7. He is telling me he is "hunnry," I am trying to motivate myself to get out of bed when I hear Lexi upstairs singing "Happy Birthday to you..." and you squealing like crazy. Roscoe and I take off upstairs to join in the fun. Lex is standing on her bed (you two share a room now) serenading you and you are standing in your crib jumping up and down grinning your open mouth smile and shrieking. Your hair is sticking out all over the place. It is almost always pretty wild and untamed.

7:30 We have pumpkin pancakes with orange juice syrup for breakfast. We each stick one candle in our pile and sing another round of Happy Birthday. I have to keep your plate on the counter out of reach, because you are completely fascinated with the flame and keep reaching for it. You gobble your cakes right up. You've been eating sooo much better the last week. thank you. It is probably due to the fact that we literally tie you with dish towels or whatever is handy to your chair.

8:00 bath time. You love it. You stand the whole time holding onto the edge and throw toys out of the tub. You also love to hand me water. It cracks us all up. You will seriously be entertained for 3o minutes trying to pick up water and put it in my hand. So cute.

8:30 We get you dressed. You are so hard. Wiggle everywhere and shriek. For such a little thing, you can be pretty high tempered and strong willed at times. 

8:45 I catch you at the top of the stairs. Augh! I swear I thought you were safely with the others, but you seem to always break free and head for trouble. I bring you in my room with me while I get ready. Pretty much our daily ritual is me trying to put on my makeup and you dumping everything everywhere. You get mad and shriek at me if I have something you want like my blush brush. You love the feel of it on your face.

9:00 You head to my bathroom and pulled everything out of the lower cupboards while I get Lexi and Roscoe ready for school.

9:30 We walk Roscoe to school and drop Lex off at a friend's. Lexi told me that you said bye bye to her. I didn't hear, but I don't usually doubt that girl. She's pretty observant.

10:00 Me and you head to Walmart. Anytime were in the car I have to pile your lap up with toys (or random junk) and the whole time we drive you pick on up...inspect...shake...hit...suck....and then toss it out. one by one. I always know when you've ran out of items to explore because you start whining.

10:15 You're strapped into a cart and cruising around walmart with me party shopping. You're usually pretty decent for me out and about, but today you are being especially good. grinning form ear to ear and enjoying the adventure.

10:30 A guy, probably about 30, and pretty "flamboyant" spots you and goes crazy. He tells me over and over how adorable you are and that you're "the cutest baby" (his words...but i agree:)). He calls his friend to come over and see you and then they both go crazy. I tell them it's your birthday and they sing to you! You eat it up and just grin from ear to ear which makes them fall in love even more. He tells me you are the spitting image of me which of course makes my day, though I hear it all the time... I have to say that guy really brightened our life today and inspired me to be a lot more like him. He was just so cheerful and kind. I really wish I had his address, because I would definitely send a card.

11:30 done shopping with Walmart and headed home. You fall asleep in the 2 minute car ride which drives me crazy, because sometimes you won't sleep again for the rest of the day even with that small of a nap. I try to lay you down, but you aren't having it. You sucker me out for a bottle though. You are loving whole milk and you are so attached to that bottle. Not sure will ever get it away.

11:40 Photo shoot for 12 month picture. Despite the darling pics you are not cooperating very well. You keep crawling all over the place. I grab the card grammy sent in the mail and a balloon Roscoe had been playing with the day before (his favorite toys) and that seems to help. You just don't sit still for very long. I thought I wouldn't have any good ones, but looks like I got plenty.

12:00 We pick up Roscoe and Lex and head home for Lunch. PB&Honey for the oldies and corn and peas for you. I forget to tie you up and you keep crawling out of your highchair on top of the counter (or nearly there). The towels are dirty, so I find a pair of Lexi's jammie bottoms and tie you as tight as I can. It did the trick for a while, but soon you find they are stretchy enough for you to stand up and stretch out of. Grrr. You are too darn wiggly. I settle on holding you and feeding you some sweet potato mush.

12:30 Vitamins. We make our own herb tinctures around here to help boost our immune system in the winter (swear by it btw). One of the tinctures is called Xpac (recipe given to me by Amy Jones...friend and neighbor). It is some nasty tasting stuff. The kids take it just fine, but they always wrinkle their nose and we chase it down with the yummy ederberry syrup. You on the other hand LOVE it! As soon as you see the stuff you scream and open your mouth. You're upset if I give it to your siblings first. Ha! Crazy girl. I'm sure glad you like it though.

12:45 You pull out every single garbage bag out of the costco size box I have under the sink and scattere them around the kitchen. You then grab all the silverware from the dishwasher while I try to put the clean plates away placing them in a drawer nearby which is full of tupperware lids which of course, you throw out on the floor. 15 minutes and the room is seriously a wreck!

1:00 We say goodbye to Lex as she headed to preschool, invite a friend over for Roscoe and then head for naptime. I'm sorry little Sue, but this is my favorite time of day! Not just because I can actually get something done, but because I get to hold you and rock you while you down a bottle (but yeah, mostly because I can actually get a lil break). You love anything snuggly and must sleep with a soft blankie and stuffed animal. You adore stuffed animals, push them into your face, giggle, and bite on it til you drift off to dreamland. so precious.

3:30 Awake! Blowout! Never fails. happens every day. same time. huge mess. 

3:45 playing with stuffed animals and Lexi. She hands you a new one and you just bury your face in it then she hands you another one and you make room for it. It's so funny watching you with your arms around 5 +animals snuggled in. Pretty soon I can't even see you anymore. You're buried! 

4:00 In the kitchen with me again (Lex and Roscoe had choir practice). You're alternating between being on my hip and allowing me to put you down to play with your leapfrog magnets.

4:30 I attempt to feed you black beans, but you are not having it! I settle for some sliced pears which you refuse to eat unless I put each one in your mouth followed with a sip of water. so spoiled. Though, I know you're completely capable...I always give in. 

5:00 dinner for the rest of us. You sit on my lap and eat little bites of my BBQ chicken salad.

6:00 You, me, Lexi, and Roscoe are on the couch all cuddled up. You are making us bust a gut laughing, especially Lexi. You keep leaning forward to snuggle your face in one of us and then out of nowhere you burst backward back onto the couch. Lexi gets a fit of the giggles.

6:15 You stand on your own no hands on the couch. Hooray! A milestone on your Birthday!

6:20 The kids take turns holding you and spinning you. You are laughing so hard! Roscoe basically spins you with your feet dragging on the ground. You think it's the best! 

6:30 I drop you off at the neighbors to be babysat while Daddy and I do visits for our new Temple Prep class. I'm super duper nervous since we have only left you x2 and both times you've been pretty awful. You're a little attached to us. You get distracted with some fancy baby toys and you seem to be just fine as I leave. Probably because you're used to playing with plastic plates and measuring cups. ha.

8:00 Daddy and I come to pick you up. You go crazy for Daddy! You haven't seen him in a few days and I think he's your second favorite person ;) The Olsons promise you did great only crawling and crying to the door a few times. Awesome. You're a half hour past your bedtime, so we hurry to get home.

8:30 jammies on. Daddy gives blessings, because you and Roscoe are going to get shots tomorrow at the Dr. Mommy probably needs one more. Daddy lets you know what a special little gal you are.

8:35 I rock and try to sing Happy Birthday to you while I give you your night bottle. You hit at my face and arch your back reminding me that my singing voice annoys you slightly. I be quite and just think how lucky we are to have you.

9:00 Daddy and I are cleaning up after dinner and we can hear you and Lexi talking to each other. So cute. It is amazing that you're still awake. You usually crash for the night at 7:30pm sharp.

9:30 the babble stops. I'm pretty sure you are asleep.

9:40 I sit down to write this post and am overcome with gratitude for all our blessings...you at the top.

Words will never feel adequate in describing how much we love you lil gretta rose.

Our lives have been so blessed and wonderful this past year with you in our home.

You make us laugh a lot, you make us cry sometimes, and you make our hearts warm always.

I know without a doubt that you came to us exactly when we needed you. It makes me smile to think that if things had gone as "planned" we would be barely getting you now this year.

I'm so glad someone else is in charge, because our whole world is more colorful with you in it.

Happiest 1st Birthday!!

Love,

Mommy