Every birthday is bittersweet. When Chad and I got married, a good friend told us to take "time outs" during our wedding day because it "all goes so fast". Even doing so, our wedding and reception flew in a haze of faces and moments of joy and love.
Every parent I've spoken to has offered me the same advice. "It goes so fast" is a refrain I hear from my own parents, from my aunts, from friends, from strangers in the grocery store. I keep taking "time outs" in my life. Moments to try to freeze and memorize. And still...it goes too quickly.
It seems like seconds ago that I held Elizabeth, so tiny and new, in my arms. And today? Today she's furniture cruising and walking with assistance. She's eating and drinking out of a sippy cup. She says "mama", "dada", "thank you", "Maggie Dog", "uh-oh" and "hi".And it was just minutes ago that I taped Joseph toddling two steps forward before he fell down on his diapered bum, laughing and clapping. Just minutes ago that we festooned the house with streamers and celebrated his first birthday.
On Thursday, as I nursed her before her nap, I looked at the clock and realized that this time last year, I was nursing her for the first time. How far my skinny little baby has come!
That night, our family helped us celebrate one year with Elizabeth by eating pizza and banana cupcakes with maple frosting. Elizabeth dove into the creamy sweetness, sucking the frosting from her fingers and grinning her gap-mouthed smile.
Today, we filled the house with friends and family and celebrated this little life that has made our world her home. We suspended poofs of tissue paper and capped her darling head with a crown. We sang and we clapped and we laughed as she, yet again, made short work of her cupcake.
Our sweet girl didn't cry. She soaked in the attention, staring intently at the smiling faces ringing her. She looked around as if she too was memorizing the moment.
At least until the cupcake was set in front of her.
And while we're being honest...the first and last picture are courtesy of Rachel. Gotta love having a professional photographer in the family.
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