The yearling

A lot can happen in a year...

Like smiling and laughing and learning to move,

dragging herself across the floor so that her tiny toes get callouses.

Eating and playing and cuddling

her stuffed animals or her babies, and giving them kisses.

Babbling and squealing and learning sounds,

like da-da, and ma-ma, and ba-ba for baby.

Loving her daddy and mama and each of her brothers,

who fight over who gets to play with her and who can get the most laughs.

Learning to sing and dance and make funny faces,

like the silly scrunchy nose affectionately known as the piggy face.

Just becoming more of Mercy every day, filling our house with delightful dimpled smiles and a certain dainty baby-ness we're slightly unfamiliar with.

Happy birthday, Miss Mercy!  We love you so much and thank the Lord for blessing us with precious you!

 First cupcake - I made the mistake of not taking off the paper before giving it to her.  She dove right in!

 Balloons were a fascination - especially the up-down motion they made with a little tug.

"Whoa!  I almost flew away!"

Such a little number on such a BIG balloon!

A special baby doll needs extra special cuddles.

The birthday girl.

Handmade butterfly "pretty" - if we tell her how pretty she looks, she will generally leave it alone, otherwise she rips it out.  Temperamental?

Heels?  No thanks, I'll go with toes-free.

It's a rocking snow-leopard!

She was very, very excited to see this, almost hyperventilating with excitement.

Such a soft toy welcomes some cuddles.

And kisses too.

The "leopard whisperer"

"Easy, girl!"

"Look, mom, I tamed him!"

"And now we're friends!"

 Daddies make good airplanes.  So do snow leopards, come to think of it.  But I like Daddy best.

This is the best present EVER!  Please don't leave me.

On to more cake.  Texture.  It's all about the texture.  Peas?  No thanks.

Sugar rush

Here comes HAPPY BABY!

You've got a little something...right...

"CAKE!  CAKE! CAKE!!"

Silly Daddy, of course I haven't had enough frosting!

"Is there any more on here?"

"Nope.  Only one thing left to do with it, then..."