ONE WHOLE YEAR

to my sweetest madelyn lee,

i cannot even believe that you are one. it seems like it was just yesterday we were waiting in the delivery room for the moment you were ready to come into the world. when people said "enjoy it, it'll go by fast" they weren't kidding. so often your daddy and i will lay in bed going through the pictures on our phone sharing our favorites. it's hard to believe how little you were when you were born, how quickly you have grown and how much love has filled our hearts. we just love you with every ounce of us. i can't even begin to explain what this past year has been like but i do know one thing, i have never felt more confident knowing that i was meant to be your mommy.

i love what a vocal little lady you are, when you don't like, don't want something you are sure to let it be known. dr. m (your pediatrician) thinks that is a wonderful trait to have as it mean when you grow older you won't be afraid to stand up for what you are. i love how you choose to army crawl your way around, you have gotten quite quick. i love how you will look for our hands and pull up asking to walk around and around and around until our backs are hurting. i love how you babble. i love when you say 'mama' and 'dada.' i love how you get so excited to eat, just like your mama. i love that you are obsessed with your doggies, one day i hope they will be excited to play back. i love how you love to "read" your books, flipping and touching each page. i love how smart you are, how quickly you learn amazes me. i love how sweet you are when you meet a stranger. i love your shy smile. i love your giggle. i love how excited you get when we get home from work, you have the biggest smile that melts us. i love how you gives us kisses without even asking. i love how i sing to you and you clap for me after. i love how when anyone sneezes or coughs, you will imitate them after with a huge smile. i love how we snuggle before i lay you in your crib at night. i love how you rub my back when you're tired. i love how you say "huh" when we talk to you. i love how you dance when you hear music. i love how you love your lovie. i love how you smile and we can see those (seven) tiny teeth. oh how i absolutely love the little baby girl you are, you make it such a blessing to be your mama (and dada.)

it is such a bittersweet feeling knowing a year has come and gone but there's comfort in looking forward to what the future holds. you are the silliest, happiest, sweetest baby girl and we are so thankful you are ours.

i love you the moon and back my sweet baby girl

love, your mommy (and daddy) 
_________________________________________________________________________ 

will be back to share details of madelyn's first birthday par-tay

MADELYN LEE | ONE YEAR RECAP

we had madelyn's one year check up and we have a beautifully growing baby girl.

age: one

height: 27 1/2 inches (6th percentile) weight: 16 pounds 5 ounces (6th percentile) head: 45 centimeters (53th percentile)

favorite toy: b. zany zoo, puppy & pals learning table, tap-n-tune piano, touch & feel picture cards & books

favorite activities: eating (this girl can eat, she just like her mama...once she's hungry, you better feed her something or she may lose her mind), baths (taught her to splash, so it's a bath for everyone), chasing the puppy doggies (a whole lot of fun for maddie, not so much for the dogs) and laughing (she has the cutest laugh, i could listen to it all day)

favorite foods: strawberries (really all fruit), chicken, avocado, cheese puffs, broccoli, applesauce, mac-n-cheese, cheerios, pancakes & mum mums

teeth: 4 top, 3 bottom and 1 top right moral coming in

words: mama, dada, hi, buh bye, shhh, ah-choo

sign language: more and all done

nicknames: maddie, m, mai linh (vietnamese name) and boo boo

movement: army crawl, standing and gliding along and loving walking while holding hands

signature moves: gives kisses, clapping, blows kisses, waving "hi" and "buh bye," has a fake cough, sneezes (don't cough or sneeze around her, she will make fun of you with a smile) and rises her arms to be "so big"

proud moment:  there are so many moments that make us absolutely proud and blessed to be this little girl's parents. i can't even count how many times vy and i will look at each other and say how we just love her and how smart she is.  

this face, oh how i love you 

it's been one amazing year and there are so many more to look forward to.