SO Full of IT- Energy!

She is growing up so fast.  I am excited to see who she is becoming and what her personality is developing into.  She is coming up to her 1st birthday already.  Am I ok with it all?  I think so- at least I am trying to be.  Let me describe for you what this little firecracker is all about.  

She still is like a hyper puppy, turning around and around in your arms.  While holding her she will push her legs against you, and start to climb up your stomach/chest/shoulders.  It takes some skill to keep her safe- one second of unfocused holding would result in her falling fast to the ground so...you just keep moving, and letting her twist in your arms.  Your biceps are burning at all times but you just chalk it up to bigger muscles and more calories burned.  When she wakes up she jumps in her crib and holds her dolls and talks ...and then yells...until you go in and get her.  You walk in her room and she is smiling a very very big squinty smile and almost cannot contain her excited energy in her body.  When you pick her up she nestles her head in your shoulder, puts her arms back and down against her side and kicks her legs both at the same time.  She is showing how happy she is to be in your arms.  But just for a second.  Then she is looking around fiercely for the boys.  She is already saying in her cute baby voice, "hi, hi, hi", as she looks and looks for the boys who love her.

While changing her you have to have your most creative distractions ready- (you even might have to let her suck on the hand sanitizer for a split second while you snap her back up...).  She is wild, she is fast.  Do NOT put the bowl of peaches, cream of wheat or soup down on her tray when she is eating.  Never do that!  Just hold it in your hand.  Because as soon as you make that mistake, her fast, cheetah- like swipe will be quicker than you ever imagined and leave splashes and spills everywhere!  Also, please don't set her drink down on her tray.  She will not just toss it down, but throw it as hard as she can to the floor, leaving a nice big dent in the wood.

This baby is feisty, she is quick, she knows what she wants.  Her brain is developing by the second.., you can almost see the gray matter forming with every breath she takes.  Never stops, never stops,...until she finally slowwwws down, talking in her bed.  And then against her will, her heavy heavy eyelids cannot stay open any longer.  Her tired brain needs a rest as well as her chubby little, on-the-go body.  Don't kid yourself though- be ready for her to wake up in the night and bounce in her bed and call you,...just to say hi for a minute.  Her brain thinks it's ready again to start a new day.  You have to go in there and say, "go to sleep little Analise."  And she flops down hard on the mattress, facing the wrong direction.  So you have to turn her around, she lays on her tummy and as you are covering her back up her legs are kicking, kicking, ...kicking, both at the same time, against the mattress, slower and slower and slower....until she is once again back into a deep sleep.

And hurry, you only have a couple of hours before YOUR eyelids feel heavy.  And, ...it starts all over again as soon as you close your eyes.  It's morning.  And it's so perfect that she is so beautiful, and that you love her so...because you will miss that baby girl by the morning.  You will practically RUN to her room when you hear her through the monitor.  And, you will be up for that same satisfying challenge all over again.  And before you know it, you will be getting ready for her to turn 1. True story.