One year.

Pumpkin head- Brand new

I am amazed at how much can happen in one year.  This time last year, we were sitting in a hospital room, ooh-ing and aahh-ing over the miracle that had just come into our lives. Pumpkin was born just after 5 p.m. on a rainy afternoon in December.  I significantly remember it being rainy, because Cody had to go down to the car to grab our bags that we left in there in case the nurses sent us home like they had the day before ( oops. ) Also,  every. single. Doctor's appointment I had, I drove to in the rain.  Always, no excuses.  The day of her birth?  We drove to the hospital in the rain.  Very slowly.  

Immediately, Red had the power to calm her down.  While getting her first bath and while the nurses were doing all of their pricking and prodding, all Red  had to do was take her sweet little hand around his finger and talk to her.  Since he had spent the majority of my pregnancy either training or in Iraq, I was concerned about her not knowing her daddy's voice.  I was so wrong!

Listening to Daddy, brand new.

Over the next few days, my Daddy came in, Red's parents arrived and we had a few come and go visitors in the hospital.  We buckled pumpkin in her little green and brown car seat, snuggled her up in a pink blankie, pink hat and snapped her in the car seat base that had been installed for four weeks, and drove to our home as a family. 

Pumpkin- Day 3, going home.

We celebrated our first wedding Anniversary when she was 4 days old.  Since my mom was visiting, we went out for a quick dinner to celebrate.  I may or may not have checked my phone a million times, and we may or may not have been in and out of there in under an hour, but we celebrated, dag- nabbit.

 Our first wedding anniversary.  Izzy saw that we were taking a picture, and sat down in just the right spot!

 

  

   Pumpkin showed us that million watt smile early!   Look at those dimples.. you can't tell me that's "just gas" The only reason babies supposedly smile at a week old.

Sleeping peacefully and so sweetly in her car seat. 2 weeks.

With Daddy, 2 months.

 

  We watched sweet baby girl learn to giggle, We started using cloth diapers, we watched her smile and talk and we did some crying too.  She rolled over, she sat up, she learned to crawl. 

Ava- 4-5 months

We found out we were moving to Japan!  She learned to pull up and cruise.

 6 months, Panama City Beach

She learned to love the beach, chase Izzy around the house, and play in the water.  We went to Panama City beach for a family vacation with our Arkansas family, did a family reunion, and visited Texas

8 months

 9 months

We moved to Japan!  Ava learned to sit on an airplane for hours and hours, that playing in airports can be really fun, and moving means a lot of changes.

piggie- tails!  Sorta.

About to blow out her birthday candle!

Then, just like that, an entire year passed us by.  Our "wittle bitty baby" Isn't so wittle bitty any more.  She lays her head down and tells you " ni- ni"  She runs around on the play ground, and inside.  She wants to help in the kitchen, with the laundry and with hugs ( turns out she's really good at that).  She snuggles and hugs and loves.   She knows what she wants, and feels free to let you know exactly what that may be.

We celebrated her birthday with her favorite dinner- cheese tortellini ( uhm, I think we're related?) and carrot cupcakes, she really just like the icing.  It was raining outside and Pumpkin was happy.  We opened up pink presents and put her to bed with the same pink blankie we took her home in just a year ago.

Happy Birthday sweet girl!  We will always love watching you grow and change.