What a difference a year makes!

Katherine turned 1 year old on September 8th. It's hard to believe it's been over a year since that fateful night Steve rushed me to the ER because I couldn't catch my breath.  Our lives are so different now and I wouldn't have it any other way.  The beginning of our journey as parents was definitely the hardest part.  Katherine stayed in the NICU for 29 days.  I also had to fight a nasty female doctor for the right to continue breastfeeding.  Thankfully our hospital stays are now a distant memory.  Today our little girl is continuing to grow and learn and amazes us every day.  Katherine has amazed her medical team with how quickly she caught up developmentally.  She was discharged from Child Health Specialty Clinics at 11 months.  Katherine was doing so well the nurse practitioner didn't see a reason for her to have any more follow-ups with them.  Most preemies are discharged from CHSC at 18-24 months.  We are so proud of our little NICU baby.

Katherine September 2012

  Motherhood might be the most exhausting thing I've ever done but it is by far the most rewarding.  I love the days she crawls into my lap as we eat our breakfast before she goes to daycare and I go to work.  I also love watching her play with her princess castle and the little people that go with it.  It's been fun to see her grow from banging her toys to very specifically putting her princesses in the castle.  I love that now she cuddles with her blanket or a clean burp cloth to go to sleep.  I love that she's learned how to wave and do high-fives.  I love that her first time saying to bye-bye she said it to Steve as he left for work, The Fuzz and our house when we left for the day.  I love that she's started giving kisses by touching her mouth to our cheeks.  I love that she won't do any of these on command if she doesn't feel like it or if she thinks you already know the answer to the question.  I love that she's such a smiley baby.  I also love her giggle.  I love that she's a daddy's girl.  And to all of the people that say "Just wait until..." with some negative outlook on parenting or who try to warn me about the not fun part of raising children, I want to say "No. I will not wait until xyz because I'm too busy enjoying everything I just listed." I know someday she and I will argue but I'm not thinking about that as I observe all of the above.  I marvel at how the tiny baby in the picture above grew into the little girl in the picture below.

Katherine September 2013