12 months, sigh

happy 12 months baby big girl!

I call this post 12 months, sigh for a reason. I'm feeling very sad that this will be my last "picture of the month" posting. I suppose I could take a size comparison picture of her every month for the next 18 years, but I'm suspecting that I need to cut the cord sometime. That and a single paper is getting kind of crowded. Perhaps I'll still do bi-annual photos so ya'll can marvel along with Jeremy and I at how fast and fabulous little ones grow. 

365 days ago today, and about this same hour, I was wondering whether the effort was going to be worth it. I was pretty sure this child was trying to kill me, and at 10:26 pm, when the labor was all over, she didn't even smile, or say thank you, or anything. Luckily, I decided not to hold any of that against her, and instead proceeded to slowly fall in love. Watching this little one grow first in my tummy and then before my eyes has been a beautiful reminder of the miracle of a child. Thank you Lord for this gift!

We celebrated her birthday with the village on Saturday which was a blast. Thanks to our dear friend Cheng Wong, (a 70 year old, Asian-American Peace Corps Volunteer!) we have approx 500 pictures to sift through and upload for your viewing pleasure. It was so much fun for us, we seriously can't wait to share it all with the rest of our friends and family! I have some other thoughts also on the significance of our little girl turning one, and I'll try to put all of these things down on "paper" as I get a chance. For now, I choose to revel in this day. Our baby is happy, fat, healthy, friendly, creative, adventurous, and cuddly. Her strong will is starting to show and her desire for independence and autonomy shows up at less than opportune times. But as I see the grace we've been shown in the first year of her life, I have no doubt that God will be faithful to guide us through this next phase of parenting adventure.