Emery and Kinley - 12 months

As hard as I tried to stop time, it didn't work. You girls turned ONE year old on November 3rd! We made it a year! Ha! In all seriousness, this has been the most amazing year of my life. I never knew love like this before.

You make life so fun and it's hard to imagine what our lives were like before you. Even though it was bittersweet to sit and rock my sweet girls one last time as "babies", you'll always be my babies. 

Although y'all are still our little peanuts you are both getting so big! You're wearing 6-12,  9-12 and 12 month clothes, size 3 diapers and infant size 2-3 in shoes. I just cut the tags off of some 12 month jammies that we bought before you were born. At the time it seemed like you'd never be big enough to wear them, yet here we are!

You're still amazing sleepers. Daylight savings was on your birthday. I was a little anxious about it and wondered if it would mess up my good sleepers. We prepped the week beforehand trying to keep you up a little later each night. Overall you did really well! Emery woke up first (as usual) about 30-45 minutes earlier than normal, but after about four days y'all were back on your typical schedule. You still seem to need two naps a day so we're going to keep with that a while longer. 

We just dropped a feeding and are now down to nursing three times a day. It may not be long before we're down to two though because sometimes y'all don't seem interested in the lunchtime feeding. I'm not in a hurry, but I know our nursing days are numbered now and it makes me sad to think about this part of our journey coming to an end. In the beginning, it was hard. I had no idea if this would work for us or how long we'd make it. After two bouts of mastitis, thrush, numerous blocked ducts, blisters, etc. I can't believe we've made it a year and counting. I'm so thankful for the many (many) hours that we've had together while feeding throughout this year. These moments are something I will always cherish!

No new teeth this month. Emery is still at four and Kinley has none. Y'all are good eaters and will try anything we give you. Kinley, you aren't always crazy about green vegetables but I hope you'll learn to love them. You love you some meat though! Emery, you like vegetables, fruit, meat and pasta. You both love cheese. I fixed some scrambled dogs (old family chili recipe) last week and you could not get enough of it! I mean y'all LOVED it and I could not get it on your tray fast enough! You are Georgia girls at heart ;-)

Y'all are busy little bees, exploring and into everything these days. We've been pulling out new toys lately and you're having fun with them. You especially love the fisher price house with the door. The music table is still a hit too. You love to "love" each other, your babies, loveys, or any stuffed animal you see. Sometimes you'll just be crawling along and I'll hear "aaahhh" and I know you've found something to love on. It's precious and melts my heart. Of course, the 'ole tupperware cabinet is a favorite too. =) You both say "mama", "dada" and Emery is starting to say "baba" for baby.

We are borrowing this little ride on toy from your cousins and you two are having fun with it! Emery was riding on it and I said  Kinley "can you push her" and you went right over and pushed on the back of it. I don't know how you knew what that meant?! (every picture is a blur because y'all are constantly in motion!)

Y'all LOVE your wagon and we enjoy going for little walks as a family when daddy gets home. We'll bundle up and get outside for just a few minutes. I love these times together. 

 

We were able to do something this month that I had dreamed of for years...we went to the pumpkin patch! We actually went to a few. We went with our playgroup and then went to another one when daddy could go. This was just another reminder of how good and faithful God is. He has given me the desires of my heart! 

We visited the dr. for your 12 month checkup. It was so crazy to think back to our first time in that waiting room, the day after we brought you home from the hospital, when I was such a wreck. Dr. S was proud of how you're growing and said you both are doing just perfectly! Each time we come back his exams get a little more challenging as you two know what's coming. Emery, you were not a happy camper this visit and made sure Dr. S knew it. Little stinker!

Here are your stats:

Kinley:

Weight: 16lbs 6oz 

 Height: 27.5 inches (I'm not sure this is 100% accurate, but oh well)

 

Dear Kinley,

What a sweet, sweet baby you are. Your daddy and I say that to each other at least ten times a day. Your sweet little gummy grin melts me every time and I can't get enough of it. You have the sweetest laugh that I could listen to all day long. You love to play games...peek-a-boo, hide and seek and playing chase will get you giggling. You are a curious little thing and love to explore around the house. You've been fascinated lately with the bathroom and opening and closing the shower door. Mommy doesn't really like for you to do this so I try to keep you out. You like to read and flip the pages of your books. You love the new playhouse and could crawl through that doorway fifty times and still think it's funny. You are a daddy's girl and I love to see you interact with him. As soon as you hear his key in the door each evening you get so excited and hurry to see him. You still make us laugh with your "chewbacca" noise and you also hold both your little hands in fists, squeeze them and grunt "mmmmmm", like you're so excited you just can't stand it. It's adorable! I can't get over how much your hair is coming in, and it's still light. We're close to being able to put just a bow in your hair without a headband, but we just need a little more length for it to stay put. Your gorgeous blue eyes and long eyelashes slay me. You're such a beautiful baby and I can't believe you're my big ONE year old! You have forever changed me and I'm beyond thankful that you made me a momma one year ago. I love you to the moon and back, and back again!

Emery:

Weight: 16lbs 12oz 

 Height: 28.25 inches (I'm not sure this is 100% accurate, but oh well)

Dear Emery,

My sweet little love bug, I'm so proud of how you've grown and changed this month. You still have a hard time being away from mommy and daddy, but each week in nursery seems to be a little easier for you. Usually you are fine once I'm out of sight, but if you can see me and someone else is holding you, you don't like it one bit. You are a loving little thing. You'll be playing with your toys and then come crawling over to me, pull up and give me "love". In those moments I have to fight back tears because I just never dreamed life would be this sweet. You like to lay your head on my shoulder when I'm holding you and I'll scratch your back. What girl doesn't like that?! Kinley started playing peek-a-boo and then you weren't too far behind her. We say "where's Emery?" and your hands go over your eyes. You think it's so fun! You've taken to your baby doll and really love her. You shocked us all when, on your birthday, we picked you up from church nursery and you had a paci in your mouth, just going to town on it. The workers had found a paci that belonged to your cousin in our diaper bag and gave it to you, and you took it! You cried when we tried to take it away. So, at one year old you decided that you do like a paci after all. It's kind of weird to lay you down with a paci and a lovey now after months of you not taking them. Silly girl! I look back at your newborn pictures and think you look the same, yet you've changed so much. You're just beautiful, Emery Grace, and I can't get enough of you! You have forever changed me and I'm beyond thankful that you made me a momma one year ago. I love you to the moon and back, and back again!