12 months (aka ONE whole year!)

1 year old!

The only way I could get her not to do this:

was to give her a book.  This girl loves her books!

At 1 year, Elna:

-- is a fearless climber.  She fell from tall places about 6 times in one day last week.  She climbs onto the back of the couch and then onto the bar behind the couch and then just perches.  Or on top of the shoe shelf.  She starts screaming in excitement and it’s kind of sad to burst her adventurous bubble when we take her down time after time after time…

-- also loves to climb in things.  She is in and out of her toy box all day long and loves to climb into a planter pot we have on our hearth right now.  She will even try to climb into teensy little boxes that don’t even fit her bum and then gets sad when she falls out of them. 

-- loves to dance and does it all the time when her toys play music or when my cell phone rings or when we listen to music.  It’s so cute!

-- leads music during church or when I sing to her.

-- free stands all the time but still won’t walk.  She can stand up in the middle of a floor without holding on to anything and she can squat back down and bounce in place.   

-- recognizes pictures of herself, me, Brian, and Jesus. 

-- still loves to eat.  I barely started giving her my bread and it’s her favorite thing ever.  She also loves green drinks and blueberries.  She likes chick’n curry, tomato soup with cheerios, veggie burgers and sausage, basil cream pasta, sweet potato pudding, and chili beans.  She will basically eat everything we eat. 

-- says Daddy, Mama, book, bath, hi, Jesus.

-- gives the best open-mouthed kisses ever.  On weekends Brian wakes up with her when she gets up too early and he brings her into our room when it’s time for me to get up to feed her.  She kisses me and kisses me until I open my eyes.  I should probably memorize these moments. 

-- loves playing peek-a-boo—with her hands over her face, underneath her bath towel, and under/over chairs and other objects.

-- adores the neighbor kids that play at the park.  And they adore her.  Sara (a 7-year old little girl) calls for Elna over the fence to play outside every day by yelling “Elna” super loud.  Elna will hear her even if our windows are shut and start yelling back.  It’s hilarious.  We love to spend time playing with her friends at the park sliding and swinging.  

-- makes a mad dash for the garage door, bathroom doors, or any cupboards when they are open.

-- is as cute and as sweet as ever!  We are crazy about her!

At 1 year old, Elna is 30 1/4 inches tall (84%), weighs 23.15 lbs. (88%), and her head circumference is 46 1/2 mm (86%).  So, basically she’s perfect!