Letters to Reverie: 12 months

My dear Reverie Hope,

Happiest birthday, littlest love! At 12 months, you're 16 lbs, 27 3/4 inches long, wearing size 2 diapers, size 3-6 month & 6-12 month clothing, and size 1-2 shoes. You are our smallest baby so far, and I love it. I feel as if you're still a little baby - your birth day did not seem so long ago - though you're now one. You're cruising confidently, pulling up everywhere proudly to get into anything within sight, taking steps with your walker, but not interested in walking independently yet. Your two upper front teeth sprouted this past month adding to your two bottom teeth, which allows you to eat even more ferociously than before. You eat 2-3 meals a day, acclimating yourself to cow's milk to complement anything given to you. Your staples seem to be bananas, Os cereal, squash, spinach, eggs, chicken, and berries. You're nursing about three times a day - once in the morning between 7:30-8:00am, once in the afternoon, and sometimes once in the evening, though you no longer nurse before sleeping at night. You're a dream sleeper, sleeping twelve hours at night and taking 2-3 naps lasting 2-3 hours each during the day (as long as the white noise machine is on because you wake up disgruntled if it ever turns off).

Your favorite mode of transportation is speed crawling, pausing to sit on your little bottom with your legs in W formation to gnaw on a toy. Your favorite and only word so far is "mama." You explore quietly, pitter pattering through the house. You are content in your siblings' and other little babies' presence, making your way to them with the silliest grin on your face and babbling gleefully. You love being thrown into the air and tickled. You smack your lips to bestow kisses. You're fond of your Eponine stuffie, burying your face into her for comfort. I am your greatest source of comfort though. If I disappear from sight, you throw your head back to wail pitifully, crawl until I'm in sight again, and reach your arms up desperately until you're securely attached to my hip with your head on my shoulder and right thumb in your mouth.

You're the sweetest, most relaxed little babe. You're the light of our family; we adore you so. We feel as if you've always been a part of our family and can't imagine life without you. This year has been the sweetest, fastest year. We're so thankful God has granted you a year of life so far; we pray you grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. May you know him and love him as you discover how he loves you so to the point of death on the cross. I'm ever grateful I get to be your mama.


Love you so,
Mama

P.S. Reverie at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 months. Plus, her birth story.