Well, that year certainly flew by! Elsa is doing great. She is, to quote my Grandma (Claudine), "the busiest baby I have ever seen". She never stops. She started walking at about 11 months, which is fairly normal/average, but since then she has continued to walk and walk and walk to the point that we get a lot of comments from amazed neighbors and friends who can't believe how much / how well / how fast she walks. In fact, I think she can technicially "run" at this point.
She still loves to climb and explore and is pretty much fearless. We've learned that she has her daddy's temper, her mommy's desire to organize things, and a really sharp mind. She also LOOOOOOVES to eat! So she fits right in in this family. On TV her favorite show is definitely "Sid the Science Kid", and she really likes sports. Lately she's been especially enthralled by tennis.
She now understands a few dozen words, but only says eight - all in English (well, except if you move the accent on "Mama"). Her eight words are "Dada", "Mama", "Bye Bye", "Uh-Oh!", "Up" (which she likes to say more like "Up-baaaaaah!"), "Down" (which is more like "Da" or "Dow"), "Ball" (which usually sounds like "Ba" but occasionally comes out very Southern like "Baaawl"), and "Bottle" (which also sounds like "Ba" but is usually said more like "BA!!!!!!!!!!", especially first thing in the morning).
She continues to love books, anything electronic, and older kids. She's also having a great time now with her Radio Flyer wagon, her magnetic letters, and any kind of ball. She loves to go outside to walk in the neighborhood and play in the park. She wants to be on her own except when she comes to a curb or speedbump, at which point she reaches up for a hand.
We've read that she's learning right now that she and we are different entities. So this has the interesting effect of some sweet kisses and snuggle times reserved especially for Mommy and Daddy, contrasted with her pitching fits whenever we leave her.
Elsa is still a very fun gal who loves to laugh, while at the same time being a very intense little person. It's a funny combo, but at least she's got a couple of parents who understand.
I could keep writing, but I'll get to the photos!
Hanging with friends in the neighborhood.
Wrestling with Emerson!
More fun with Emerson!
Peek-a-boo!
Great sense of humor!
3.5-hour fog delay at the Puebla airport? No problem!
We take the fun with us wherever we go.
More airport fun.
Look Elsa - fog!
Sudden shift to "I want Mommy!" mode.
"Hooray I'm with Mommy!" Yeah, yeah.
Back to snuggling with Daddy.
Out!
3rd of July in Marietta. Anybody want some ribs? Just the bones, though - we already took care of the meat.
Fireworks!
Kisses for Uncle Britt...
...and Aunt Candace...
...and a slightly different greeting for Miss Kathy.
Visiting Aunt Mary Allison (Tia Maria) at work.
Playing at Chick-fil-a.
Playing with Jabbo.
Playing with Jabbo.
Learning about flowers with Jabbo.
Elsa spends a good bit of time snoozin' in the car when we are in the USA.
Reunited with Erin O.! And Grandma (Debbie)!
With Grandma at Buckner's (home of some of the best fried chicken on Earth).
With the Great-Grandparents.
Laughin' with Great-Grandpa Charlie.
Blowin' bubbles at Uncle Kevin's house.
Front porch time with the Oakleys.
Messin' with Uncle Britt.
NYC, heading out on our cruise.
Loving the gulls and helicopters and other flying things.
Family shot.
Helicopter!!!
Hair. And Lady Liberty.
Ditto.
With one of her waiter buddies.
Inspecting the closet of our state room.
Bath time.
Snuggle time.
The "tasting a new food" look.
This either means "Don't you dare give me more of that nasty food" or "Give me more of that tasty food NOW!"
With Daddy on the open seas.
At dinner with the grandparents.
Two monkeys in our room. Great shot of the belly!
Viva Canadia!
Rainy (but fun!) day in St. John, New Brunswick.
Elsa on her nightly good will tour of the dining room. One time we had some random people come up to us on the ship and go "Hey, we know your baby!"
FOUR Elsas!
The whole fam at Halifax, Nova Scotia.
With Theodore Too the Tugboat, one of Halifax's most famous natives.
Elsa got into a little trouble, but we've been assured it won't appear on her record.
With our old buddy / personal tour guide - the one and only Josh Turk!
Clownin' around with Josh. On top of a mailbox - why not?
Hopefully one of the last times Elsa will ever dance on a table. She's way too classy for that.
Bath time fun.
Bath time fun.
Bath time fun.
Rockin' the robe.
Bed time.
Gimme that camera.
Best breakfast buddy.
Bed head.
Playing on the bed.
Balcony at sunset.
Peek-a-boo.
Woohoo!
More flight delays - this time in NYC.
Granny's house!
Showing Granny how we brush our teeth.
"Organizing" Granny's magazines for her.
With Nana.
With Papa.
Beautiful girl.
Playing on the steps.
Love those eyes.
Balloon!
Early first birthday party.
Soon-to-be-one-year-old.
Yay!
Cupcake!
Somebody said something funny.
Back at Granny's - now checking out the VCR.
With Uncle Britt and Aunt Mary Allison.
In Mommy's childhood rocking chair.
Headed home after five weeks north of the border.
Plastic cups! So fun.
Radio Flyer, oh yeah. You can PUSH it.
You can ride IN it.
You can make motor noises WHILE riding in it.
"Thbbbbthbbbthbbb..."
"...thbbbthbbbthbbb."
: )
Rocking the headband.
...Uh...
LOVE the remote.
Shoes from Bego.
"Tennis, anyone?"
Just sitting in the toy basket.
Drying off after bath time.
Representing El Pozo.
You can ride ON it.
Woohoo!
Toot toot.
Our little lion tamer.
With Hugo and Regina.
Watching Zyanya's every move.
Tearing up napkins is a favorite activity these days.
Primos.
You can SHARE it with your buddies.
Ten years I've been friends with these guys now!
These three together = trouble waiting to happen.
"Hello?"
"Nothin' much, just hangin' out in my PJs."
"Lucho, it's for you!"
"Yeah, just hanging out with Mommy."
Book time with Daddy in the morning light.
Coloring!
More coloring.
This picture is ironic.
Concentration.
Modeling the eyelashes.
Goofing off with Mommy.
Hanging out with Carly at Elsa's favorite spot, the bottom step.
With lots of friends at her birthday party!
Wait a minute, that's not Elsa! Meet Sawyer "Squeaky" Cooper a.k.a. a tiny female version of Clay.
Birthday! Technically the day before. Check out the owl cupcake Mommy made.
Family shot.
The McTrio.
Diggin' in.
Aerial view.
Aerial view.
Very serious face during the very slow, but steady, eating of the cupcake.
Darius! Every event is better with Darius in attendance.
With Emerson. Important note: She is dressed as a ballerina, NOT a princess!
With some of her My Gym buddies.
With Luis and Clay.
"Daddy why are all of these people at our house?"
Next day - actual birthday - AFRICAM SAFARI!!!
Baby giraffe was her favorite. Biggest scream of the day.
"Look Mommy, the world's largest rodent!" (Seriously.)
Camels.
"Did you see that?"
River, ponies.
This is one of the parts where you have to have the windows rolled up.
Daddy's girl.
Family shot.
ONE YEAR ALREADY?!?!?! Hard to believe.
Flower in her hair.
This is Elsa's friend Joey. Ha. Sorry.
Checking out the wallabies.
Feeding the wallabies.
Telling her friend Dani about the wallabies.
With the big red kangaroos.
Fun birthday.
She got a lot of kisses from Daddy that day. Even more than usual.
Here come the birds.
Class with Professor McDade.
Yes, Elsa, we are paying attention.
And, last but not least, the Blog Bonus Photos for those of you who actually read this blog instead of just looking at the same photos that eventually wind up on Facebook:
First, a behind-the-scenes shot of what it takes to get four little ones to sit still(-ish) and look in generally the same direction for a photo. How many adults are required?
The answer is five.
And here are a few different versions of one of the shots after I played around with the contrast and brightness.
Until next time!
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