My baby is 1!

I know I haven't been blogging for a while but I just have to take a ten minute break from work and blog about a huge milestone in my baby girl's life.

Ariela turned one yesterday. Big One! I can hardly believe it and honestly I am still in denial. I look at her and I can't believe that she's been in our lives for a whole year (or is it just a year?). I can't believe a year ago we brought our little baby home and started our new life as a family of three. What a year it has been? It was full of laughter, joy, tears, surprises, worry, fear, and just pure love.

We brought home a tiny little baby who needed us, who relied on us, and trusted us to take care of her.
She was hungry - we gave her food
She cried - we comforted her
She cried some more - we changed her diapers, massaged her stomach to relieve her of the stomach pain
She woke up at night - we kept her company
She smiled - we yelled "omg, she just smiled at me!"
She laughed - we laughed right with her, and sometimes at her :)
She played with her toys - we got down on the floor and played with her

Months went by and out little baby is turning into a toddler with her own personality and a little attitude :)
She communicates/screams if she wants something - she laughs if we get what she wants
She loves feeding herself with a spoon - she grabs the spoon and brings it to her mouth sideways. Some food actually makes it inside her mouth, but majority is on the floor. Yet, she is so proud of her new skills that she gives the spoon right back to me to fill it up with some more food.
She loves attention - we can't leave her alone to play. We need to be right there with her.
She loves to walk - sometimes still holding my hand, but the majority of the time she walks independentaly (note started walking on November 3rd at 11.5 months).
She loves playing with her socks and shoes - I think she has more shoes then me at this point. She constantly tries to put them on, even if she already has a pair on her.
She tried sweets for the first time yesterday - got a piece of the cake to try and loved it. Her reaction was priceless. There was a 10 second pause after she got a bite of the cake and then dived in with her face into the cake!
She still doesn't have teeth - getting a little worried, but the doc said assured me it is normal and we should see the first one by 15 month the latest.
She is a joy to be around with - she puts a smile on our faces, she makes us laugh, she makes us giggle like little kids, she makes us feel younger, and finally she makes us experience love that we never knew existed.

I didn't get to say a toast yesterday when family came over (I did wisper it to her when she was falling asleep). So here it goes:
Dear A,
Thank you for being a part of my life! Thank you for being you! Thank you for totally changing my life and making it so much better! Thank you for all the fun times the last year has brought (let's just have less of the sleepless nights)!
I wish you health and happiness. I hope you'll get to accomplish everything you want in your life (we'll help you at that, I promise!). I hope you'll know the meaning of friendship and will have honest and true people surrounding you. I hope you and I will have a close relationship in the years to come. I can list so much more things I am hoping for but I'll stop right here.
There are no words to explain my love to you. I think I rely on you as much as you rely on me nowdays. Here is to lots of more year of fun, joy, tears, milestones, and love! Cheers!

You'll always be my baby girl!

With lots of love,
Mom