Tenderness for what you are and respect for what you may become

Little Lolli-
I can't believe how quickly you've grown! Already, I'm planning your birthday luau. You're almost 1 year old! You're so big!! I miss how small and tiny you used to be. And how you would just sleep and cuddle in my arms. Now, you're such a wiggly worm! I can barely get you to sit still long enough to change your panties! But regardless of how mobile you've become, you still let me cuddle you and like me to rock you while we sing together. But you've definitely begun to choose favorites. Every time you have a crying fit and Daddy tries rocking you, you flail around, searching for my arms. While you'll probably grow up to become a Daddy's girl, I'm loving the Mommy preference right now!

Since last month, you've learned how to clap and have sprouted two more teeth. Now, you have a buck tooth smile that always makes me laugh every time I see it! You're also beginning to wave. The other day, Keizya Baby was over and was crawling around behind the couch. You were being a little birdie, standing at my leg in the kitchen, hoping I'd drop some food in your hungry little mouth. But between bites, you'd turn around, smile at Keizya, and wave to her frantically! You've also begun waving to your reflection in the mirror every time you catch her smiling back at you. You're still doing the two-handed "Autsitc" wave, but I bet you'll get the one-hander down soon enough. In the meantime, continue to pull yourself up on the couch, and cruise around on the furniture. Soon, you'll be walking. I dread that day. You destroy the house enough as it is just with crawling. Once you start walking, no book, telephone line, or laptop will be safe from your terror!

Though I love you as a little baby girl, I'm so excited for you to grow older. I anticipate the beautiful, independent, and probably divalicious woman I know you will become. And as you get older, I hope your testimony of the gospel will grow with you. I look forward to that special day, years from now, when I can sit in the sealing room and watch you promise yourself to your own eternal companion. But until then, I'm perfectly content with rocking you in my arms and singing. I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always. As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be.

xoxo
Mommy