Letter to My Almost 1 Year Old

Hello my little Launa-

You are going to be one in less than one week and I just wanted to take a moment to tell you how much I love you.

Today at church, I couldn't stop staring at you, and this is why:

  You were happy, smiling at everyone, hilarious, observant, imaginative and smart you are and just downright beautiful.

You are a cuddler and I love that so much.  You just snuggle into our shoulders, pat us and give us loves all the time.  AND, you started giving kisses over the last week and a half or so.  And not just the big open mouth slobbery baby kisses (you do those too), but also, you try to pucker your lips, you put them on our face somewhere and then you pull away and make a kissing sound.  When someone kisses you, you make kissy sounds back at them. 

I do worry about your temper sometimes.  You aren't even 1 yet, and you'll lay your head on the floor and cry, or throw yourself backwards when you're upset about something, but dad and I have decided to give you no attention when you do it, because it is super easy to give you negative attention when you're acting like that.

As I watch you and cuddle with you daily (because pretty much all you want is for me to hold you), I wonder what you'll be like, and how our relationship will be.  We love each other so much, and you have so much love in your little body that just needs to be cared for, and we both also have enormous tempers.  I hope we can learn in your young age how to best deal with all of that, because as I look at you, if I imagine us ever not getting along when you're a teenager, my heart breaks.

So, my darling, I hope you read this when you are a teenager and please listen to me when I say I love you like I never knew I could love.  I worry about you constantly--I wonder if I am doing things right.  The Lord sent your little spirit to me, and I want to do everything in my power to nourish it, let you know you are special, loved and that your Heavenly Father wants nothing more than for you to return to live with him.  That is why we are here--to be tested and tried, and in both trying times and good times, we can find joy.

You are so special, and I can tell you will have enormous gifts and talents, and one of them is spreading joy and love.  You should have seen all the people watching you today and smiling from ear to ear because you make them feel special with how you look at them.  They see joy when they see you.

I am looking forward to each day with you and to watch you develop and get to know what you are passionate about in this life, and your dad and I will support you and love you unconditionally every step of the way.

Love Eternally,
Mom

7 to 10 Months

 Well little one, as you can tell because I haven't blogged in so long, mama is BUSY!  You and your sister and little one on the way are my WORLD and I love you so much.  I'll share a photo I took of you each month and then I'll write about you at the bottom of this post. 

7 Months:

 

 In month 7 you got two more top teeth (on the sides), it was your first General Conference (October 2011), you started saying "mama", got to go trick-or-treating and to the Ward's Fall Festival party.  You were an adorable little lady-bug for halloween!  Your daddy turned 32 in your 7th month.

8 Months: 

Month 8 was a pretty special month.  Not only was it your first Thanksgiving, but it was the month you got to go to the temple with us and get sealed to us for time and all eternity.  It was a beautiful experience.  You were really well behaved.  Cried for mama just before they brought you in, but you quieted down and were an angel and I'll never forget the way you looked.  We are so grateful you are ours and that we get to be with you for eternity.  

 9 Months:

Month 9 was really special and fun too!  CHRISTMAS of course.  You did SO much developing this month right before Christmas.  But before we get to that, you also got to go on your first plane trip!  We went to visit Papa Wade in California.  This trip was a huge bonding experience for all of us but especially for you and your daddy.  We were a little nervous about if you'd be able to sleep and you'd only take your bottles warm or hot so I was nervous about not always being able to get you hot water.  BUT, you slept like an angel, were happy and talkative, played nicely, and you drank your bottles room temp!  Daddy cuddled you all the time and you just lay on him and coo and go to sleep.  Seeing papa was fun.  He thought you were pretty great and you charmed the socks off of him.  You let him hold you and you smiled and talked and were an angel!  

The couple weeks before Christmas you got really good at army-crawling all over the place and looked like a little lizard.  A week before Christmas you started saying "dog dog" or just "dog" when looking at and playing with Ellie Mae.  You LOVE the dog.  Then, on Christmas Eve... voila... "real" crawling and on Christmas you were crawling everywhere and entertaining yourself.  You loved Christmas, but were actually afraid of most of your new toys.  You spent the day wanting to be held and cuddled and eating.  Just the way Christmas should be spent!  You have the idea already.  You like "things" but I can tell what you REALLY like is people and love.  I love that about you.  I don't feel like you need to have "things" to be happy... just your people.  

The week after Christmas, you started clapping your hands and playing patty cake and you said dada too.  You also play peek-a-boo on your own with a blanket and you laugh and laugh and are so proud of yourself.  

 

 10 Months:

 10 Months: even more development.  You pull yourself up on everything, cruise around furniture, clap all the time and "roll em up", you can eat so many finger foods.  You SIGN "dog" now when you see the dog.  You are way more interested and can focus longer on "Your Baby Can Read" and "Baby Signing Time".  You imitate a lot of sounds and man you are FAST at crawling, can take some stairs now, and you just want to be on your feet!  You've even let go of me a couple times and stayed balanced for a few seconds.  You are a VERY "musical" baby.  When given an object or two objects, you like to see what sounds they make.  You still like to hum and coo like you did since the day you were born.  And you LOVE when mommy sings to you.  90% of the time you fall asleep to "I am a Child of God", and for fun play songs, your absolute favorite is eensy weensy spider. 

Launa my dear, you are just precious.  Daddy gets home from work and you just snuggle into him.  You give "hugs" all the time.  When me, daddy or Grandma Laura are holding you, you just turn your head to the side, lay on us and coo and cuddle.    You are FUNNY.  You are happy, happy, happy (when in the presence of your mommy, daddy, or Grandma.)  You and Starlynn run (well, you crawl) up and down the hallway screaming shrilly and laugh and have a grand-ole time.  I think for the most part you two will be great friends.  You sure do think she's hilarious.

You have so much love in your little body, you're so beautiful and so smart.  I love love love love love love love you.  And daddy does too.  You two are thick as thieves.

6 Months Old on the Way to 7!

 So, I am kind of starting a trend of writing about you when you are almost the next month old!  But at least it's getting done!

Here are a few highlight photos since you have turned 6 months old!

We did a family photo shoot!!  I chose a brown outfit for you (that was TOO small, sorry!) but you look so cute!

Such a goober, I LOVE IT!  Look at those two bottom toofers!

I love this little outfit I got you and you are so much fun to make smile!  (and easy to make smile) 

This is you with your daddy at story time at the library.  You loved it!!

Always and forever mommy's little helper at the barn.  There you are in your stroller, smiling at everyone all the time and being the sweetest angel ever!

Playing on the iPhone with sissy :)  The phones are one of your favorite chew toys.  

Already a train addict like daddy and sissy.  You get super excited when you hear it going.  

You are eating solids and loving them.  I make you the food myself.  Here is some pureed peas in ice cube form!  I didn't intend the Mickey Mouse ears but it must be a sign you're going to be a Disney kid too!

We took you to the fair and you were so good!  Sunscreen and a hat for your fair skin.  Toward the end of the day you had a little melt down.  It was hot and you were sweaty and over stimulated and you'd been up for several hours.  So to go to sleep you screamed a little, then you went to sleep and slept all the way home! 

 Here you are petting a mastiff dog with daddy at the fair.

 and testing out a temperpedic mattress at the fair:

 We did another photo shoot to try and get a good photo to make a gift for daddy.  Here are a few cute ones of YOU!  You just grabbed the reins (and then started chewing on them) and here you got distracted from the chewing on the reins by looking at the horse).  Don't worry,  I'm a safe mommy.  Someone was behind us helping spot you and keeping the horses standing still and from pulling down on you. 

 And here are a couple cute "sister" shots:

 And here you are touching the horsie's cheek!  So cute :)

 Finally, yesterday we went to Auntie Heather's wedding.  Here she is holding you, little princess, before she went back into her wedding dress.  We'll have some shots from the professional photographer soon too :)

 And with daddy!!! You LOOOOOVE your daddy.  And I am playing peek a boo with you behind the phone and your twisting and trying to see me. 

 All-in-all little girl, you are an easy, pleasant baby who is fun, funny and cute, pretty, GORGEOUS and just a complete blessing to us.  Thank you again for choosing us and for lighting up our world!

5 Months on the way to 6!

I have been taking lots of photos of you, just not posting them as often, so here is a bunch!


Hodgson Family Vacation was the weekend of August 12-14. Here you are chillin' in your carseat when we got to the park to go boating:
Then chillin' (sleeping) with mommy (and I was jealous):
Chillin' with dad at Grandma and Grandpa's:

At home looking too cute before you came with me to the Mommy and Me movie showtime of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt 2:

Sitting with Grandma Laura at iHop, teething on a spoon which kept you occupied for about 20 mintues!
Just sweetness, I couldn't help but take a picture:
Went to the Point Defiance Zoo on August 20th. Here you are with Grandma Laura again:
And we bought you this TOO cute hat!

You had a lot of firsts this month. Like first time eating mashed bananas in rice cereal! You gagged on the plain rice cereal, but made little sounds of joy when we put the banana in and you grubbed!


Here you are sitting with your big sissy who you adore. Here you are watching Thomas the choo choo train:

You LOVE this dog. Well, all dogs, but especially this dog. You are always smiling and laughing at her, and here you are trying to grab her (and succeeding):



You also had some formula for the first time and you even held your own bottle, just like that!

You are working on sitting up on your own too. You still like to collapse forward, but you're getting stronger all the time!


Teething, teething, teething. You also had your first tooth come through, your bottom left, with your bottom right coming in too. I gave you an apple slice and after a moment of experimentation you liked to suck on it and rub your gums on it!
You are getting really close to crawling. You can scoot yourself backwards and turn yourself in complete 180s or more. You'll get up on your hands really strong, then go down and get up on your knees, and it won't be long before you do both!

Your stranger anxiety got pretty high this month, so I had to take you with me practically everywhere, and now it is coming and going. As long as I am holding you, or daddy, you'll smile at anyone and everyone though!

We love you so much! You are precious!