Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Ohhhhhhh Livia!!

Olivia,
It's your birthday. You are ONE!!! I can hardly believe it. Your first year is by far the fastest craziest year I've endured yet. I have LOVED your baby stage. LOVED IT! I mean, just look at that picture of you...all squishy and chubby. I forgot just how fat you really were. I hadn't realised how much you've slimmed down since you started crawling until looking back over your pictures from the past year. And there are... alot....like...thousands. I'm not even exaggerating. Isn't it usually the later children who end up with less pictures than their older siblings? Well, this is not the case with you. In a way you have helped fuel my obsession with photography. You and your instense blue eyes and round baby fat. Your contagious smile and quirky mannerisms. My camera is magnetized to you most of all.
Everyday I wake up to you chirping in your bed and I slide out of my warm cozy covers and stumble into your still dark room. As my eyes adjust to the dimlit room, it's the same every day... you're standing chewing on the edge of the crib and the moment you see you break out into a HUGE smile and start bouncing. I love that. No matter how tired I am it makes me grin. What a happy and fun disposion you have! If only youd let me cuddle you for more than two senconds with going stir crazy.



See how fresh and new you once were.(if this picture grosses you out...Deal with it!) And look, for like five minutes you weren't obese!

You daddy has such a tender heart. You have captivated his heart with your fuzzy sweetness and gentle goofiness. Look how he loves you! And in the beginning he was the only one who could calm you down.
I still often forget just how emotionally tumultuous those first weeks were. Wondering about your little heart and if you were going to be okay. Pretty soon we go to the dr again and we see if you still have a hole in your heart. But, I'm not worried. You have never shown us to be anything but robust and healthy. I don't think there's much in this world that will stop you Livia.

See...getting chubby already.


You bff's.

I seem to have lost the baby in you you. I'm not sure exactly when this happened but, I look at you now and I see a toddler. You are thisclose to walking. In fact you have walked across the room but I don't think you knew you did it. You were distracted and you refuse to try it again. But, you still manage to get into EVERYTHING. Yesterday I found you chewing on a clove of garlic and you have the RANKEST breath for the rest of the day. seriously gross. Not to mention how evertime I turn around you go to the puzzle copboard and dump them all out. Like four times a day. Why don't I childproof it? Cuz i'm lazy and cleaning up your messes somehow seems like less work than the time it takes to screw the lock to the door. I know it's a messed up mentality. I LOVE YOU OLIVIA FAITH! I'm so glad I get to be your mom.
Yes now we get to PARTAAAY!
Maybe we should give Ben another beer?

Then again maybe not.

Updated to add: Unfortunately for you Olivia, you have a brother and a sister who both have a bad habit of taking adump and leaving their logs to fester in the water of the toilet. This is especially unfortunate as you LOVE to crawl in to the bathroom and play in said water. I heard you from my post at the computer splashing around. Wha..? Splashing..." This can only mean...

I dashed to discover what it is I fear most. You found treasure in the bowl. Treasure filling your mouth and smeared upon your beautiful face. As well as the wall, the tile and the toilet seat. The smile you gave me behind that filth was almost enough to let you continue in your fun. Then i gagged and decided it best to clean you up.

Gross.

Happy Birthday!

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday beautiful girl!

I am so thankful that I get to see those baby blues as often as I do.

Emily loves you too :)

Anonymous said...

Nice tribute. You have truly beautiful kids. No wonder you've become a photographer.
-danica

Anonymous said...

I love that first picture sooo much! I can't believe how much she's stretched out in the past few months.
Happy Birthday, Lurb. We love you!

Heidi said...

Happy Birthday Olivia! Can't believe how little you once were. Tell your mom that cake tastes better than your found tresures!

Chelsey said...

thanks alot christy...i read your bathroom story, and laughed outloud and woke up my little girl who was so quietly sleepin on the couch! its so halarious!

Prue said...

Oooh, breath that not only keeps vampires away, but also just about everybody else! Happy birthday Olivia.

K said...

Happy Bday! Now I think I shall be ill. Just kidding. Well, maybe not. have a great day :)

PS- your EMBLEM site is outrageously beautiful.

Bloggy Mama said...

Amazing tribute!
Happy Birtday Olivia!!

Super Sarah said...

I love your photos, you are truly talented! As for your honesty about what really goes on in a house full of kids - LOVE IT! Thanks for sharing! We have had to stick fugly big childlocks on our toilet because Amy loves throwing things in there, thankfully she has never tried to fish anything out!
Happy Birthday Olivia!! (thats my sister's name too, I love it)

Joyce said...

Happy Birthday Olivia! You are truly one of the cutest little girls I've ever seen.

P.S. eeeewwwwww re: the bathroom story. i couldn't have handled that.

Dana a/k/a Sunshine said...

The first picture. PRIZE WINNING. Seriously. enter it somewhere Christy. It is a 10!!!!!

I just want to give your baby girl a huge hug and squeeze. What a doll!

Ok, but the last part, I admit, I kinda threw up a little in my mouth when I read it. UGH.

I guess you can literally call her a "potty mouth"??

:)

free art is good art said...

she's beautiful!
gross about the poop. ugh.

Anonymous said...

HAPPY BDAY LIVY! Did you get my gift in the mail yet? Can't wait to see those new botties on you! My favorite is that last one of Livy, Her expression is pricless. Could /should be a magazine cover ! Chris , we are so proud of you! God bless your endevours with Emblem Photography

Amanda Franks said...

Such a sweet birthday post, and so many adorable photos! Happy Birthda indeed!

Anonymous said...

Good lord, I am so behind on your blog. You never blog this much and wham...12 I haven't read. Not that you have been peeping up much on mine lately missy!!!! Happy B-Day Olivia. I did not realize how close her and CHloe are in age!!!! Although Olivia has man many more teeth than Chloe. I swear she is going to gum her food until she is 5! You have the most beautiful family Christy!