The Birthday Bug... A Bit Belated!

Laney's birthday seems so long ago now! The first year has gone by so much faster this go 'round.

This time last year...


And now...

We celebrated Laney's actual birthday with our Thursday play group gang. They are really Carter's friends, but Buggy has been with them from about 3 weeks on, so I guess they're her friends, too! I tried out my ladybug cupcakes on the boys before I made them for the family party. The kids didn't have school that day, so we met earlier and had lunch as well.

Saturday evening, we had family and a few of Laney's little friends over to celebrate. She had a big time, and it was great to see everyone again. Several folks in from out of town (thank you!), and the "little girls" were all able to get together. There were 4 little girls born within weeks of each other in our Sunday school class. Three, actually in the same week (the 2nd, 4th, and 6th). It is always fun to see them together. I, as usual, saved too much stuff for the day of the party, but we were able to pull it off! We had Double Dave's pizza rolls, salad, fruit, and lots of yummy treats.

A few pictures from the party...

Laney is the happiest baby. I don't say that just because she's mine. She is literally the happiest child I've ever been around. She is always smiling and laughing. I can't tell you how many people have commented on it. Pretty funny, really. I even had the receptionist at the pediatrician's office ask me if we were in the right waiting room because Laney looked 'too happy' to be sick.

This little girl LOVES her daddy and LOVES her brother. Along with Carter and Breezy (Scooter is usually asleep somewhere), she races to the door when daddy gets home. She is also really playing the role of 'little sister' well with Carter these days! It's so entertaining!! We have nicknamed her 'Little Sister Project Wrecker.' As much as they can annoy each other, no one can make her laugh like he can. He is pretty protective of his sister, and Carter loves to help me with her still. He makes sure she is taken care of.

I didn't think she was ever going to crawl. Ever. But, she finally started right before her birthday. She has gone from nothing to walking in between furniture in just a matter of weeks. She wants to take off and walk, but her little legs just haven't figured it out yet. She's pretty quick on all fours though, and she took the stairs on her first attempt.

A little more about Buggy Pop:

She loves:

*to eat! and she prefers meat!!

*stick pretzels
*taking a bath (though sometimes she'll try to crawl out)

*cold weather

*to talk - she is pretty chatty!

*her pinkie - just like Carter's BB, only recognizable as a blanket! She likes to sleep on top of it.

* to play... with anything. She loves shoes (especially shoelaces), brushes, and phones. She will "brush" her hair and pretend like she's talking on the phone.

*GO, DIEGO, GO nothing else gets her excited like hearing the opening song. I know, I know... she shouldn't be watching TV. Easier said than done.

*to "read"

*to be on the go

She doesn't particularly care for:

* carrots

* getting her face cleaned off after meals

* cutting teeth :(

* ear infections

...um... that's pretty much it!

She is about 50-60%, so she's not too big, but I feel like she's wearing mostly 18 and some 24 months right now. 8 teeth are fully in, but 2 of her molars cut through a couple of weeks ago. I think the bottom ones are coming in now. We are going in on 3/9 for tubes as the ear infections were pretty frequent and just wouldn't heal. Guess that and her hair color are the only "genetic contributions" (to borrow a phrase from my cousin) that she got from me!

Laney babbles quite a lot, but she can consistently say: mama, dada, night-night, more (mo), ball (bawl), bye (with a wave), and usually dog (dow). She's really big into B's right now. When we go over a bump in the car, Carter and I will yell, "Bump, bump, bump!" And she will start repeating it. She will tell me 'No' by shaking her head or waving her hand and saying something that sounds more like 'na' - but you know what she means.

"Lala" has really stuck. Sometimes I'll call her Laney just so she'll know her real name! But... there are quite a few other we call her as well: Buggy, Buggy Pop, Lala Pop, Laners, Doodle Bug, The La, Baby Girl, Molly Mismatch (when she's in her random play clothes that don't match) - just to name a few.

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Lord,

We thank you so much for our precious baby girl: for her smile, her funny little personality, her health, and everything in between. We are so grateful for the joy she continues to bring to our lives each day. Thank you for a family who loves her and a brother who is her best friend. I thank you for the "little friends" she is making and the relationships that are already beginning to form. I pray that you bless her with friends who love her for who she is and give her a spirit of gentleness, forgiveness, and loyalty so that she may be a friend to others.

Please equip us to bring her up in a way that is pleasing to you - to teach her your word and show her your love through us. Continue to work on Joel and me as parents and give us the wisdom and patience we needed daily to be all we can be for our daughter.

Thank you for picking the perfect children for us, for teaching us daily about unconditional love, and for the privilege of being parents. How fun it's been to celebrate Laney's first year.

In your Son's precious name we pray...