it happened. logan turned one year old. we hosted a mini celebration over the weekend (more on that later) and had a date for two on her actual birthday. i toyed with the idea of taking off from work, and am so glad i decided to do so. it was the first time in a long time that i shut everything off and completely tuned in to this baby of mine for an entire day. we read books in bed, shared breakfast, wandered the please touch museum for a few hours, played in the grass, snuggled during a movie and had dinner and cupcakes with dada and the rest of the family. it was absolutely perfect! and while i’m still finding it hard to swallow, i must admit it’s exciting to see this baby girl come into her own and interact with us on a whole new level. she may be growing up, but this chica will always be my little mini!

today exactly marks 11 months of logan. which in turn means only a month to go until this baby turns an entire year old. whelp! she sees to amaze me these days as she’s quickly turning into a little girl. every new step, in her oh so unbalanced sequence, expands her exploring capabilities to a whole new level. she’s uncovering new territory daily and it’s fascinating to see the world through little eyes. my most favorite achievement this past month…the kiss on command. which i’ll be requesting many of in the next few hours before we leave our mini behind for our first weekend getaway for two. wish us all luck!

so, this is what its come to. slouched, sideways headband, sans smile. she’s over it. i on the other hand, am not, and can’t believe there are only two months left to this first year. this months ‘i want to remember forever’ list…our transition to the convertible carseat and how its made traveling a breeze. no more uncomfortable whining. instead, the most adorable reflection of a little head leaning forward glaring out the window. logan’s obsession with her stuffed ‘friends’ and her desire to strategically place an extremity in her left hand and drag them throughout the entire house. her fascination and adorable interaction with the other littlies at the play gym. and last but not least, her two top chompers that have just barely broken through her gums that i spy every time she smiles.

logan turned nine months this week and in an effort to slow down i’ve noticed all the things that make this little lady’s personality shine. i want to remember forever…the way her teeny fingers slowly turn the page of a board book when queued to ‘turn the page’. the way she holds her palm out to tell me she’s finished eating and full. the way she opens her mouth and lets me feed her rice puffs like a baby bird because otherwise the little pieces get lost in her chubby hands. the way she excitedly reacts when she catches her reflection in the tub overflow plate while having a bath. the way she scales our furniture in an attempt to walk while licking the cooler surfaces she comes in contact with. the smile she wears when she spots other miniatures in view. the way she shakes her head fastly back and forth while making us majorly motion sick. the way she stops everything and starts bouncing to the beat when hears a musical tune. and my most favorite, the way she crawls over, wraps her hands around my neck and mauls my face open mouthed when i return from my day. this girl is the absolute best!

this expression looks vaguely familiar (insert wink). we’re in full holiday swing around here and although the preparations seem to take that much longer with a little roaming around, they feel a bit more magical through small eyes. little lo is mesmerized by all the lights, ornaments and teeny pine needles that blanket our floors. and lets not forget the booty shakin’ that takes place during one particular xmas tune and…the special place in her heart for those lovely blow up lawn figurines (insert gag). and one more thing…santa, yeah let’s not mention him.

i never would have imagined that in seven short months my squishy newborn would turn into a real live teeny human so quickly. this baby kills me with cuteness on a daily basis. if it’s not the chubby ham bones, little crawling tush, side shuffling steps across our furniture or unintentional but oh so heart panging calls of mama and dada, the smirky smile while waving bye-bye will get you e v e r y  s i n g l e  t i m e. i’ve said it before and i’ll say it a million times over, this girl stole my heart and has it so full it’s about to burst!