3, 2, 1: IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY

Your first birthday. So many feelings. So much fun.

You woke up before the sun Saturday morning, so you and I took a sunrise walk on campus. I cried thinking about the past year and how raw and wonderful (and fast!) it has all been. We celebrated your big day with our closest friends and family. I was sure you would fall asleep on the car ride home from your party, but you did not. You stayed awake well into the evening. And finally, as I fed you dinner you slowly drifted to sleep, there in your high chair. I'll write more about the weekend soon, but for now, happy birthday week my dear. You are so very loved!

THE BIRTHDAY COUNTDOWN: 4 DAYS

Before I continue the countdown to your birthday with some more photo flashbacks, I must say thank you to grandma for watching you today while I volunteered. Volunteering is my new favorite thing. I miss you while I do it, but I know the work is so meaningful, and it only keeps me from you a few hours a week. Many families there have babies in the NICU so lately I've been thinking a lot about your time there. Tonight I wanted to share some of my favorite photos of you from the NICU...

It's funny how you start to forget the little things you swore you never would, until reminded of them. Like in the black and white photo, second from the bottom...in your left arm you're holding onto a piece of fleece. It's a tiny square of fleece they gave me the day after you were born to wear inside my shirt for a while. Then they gave it to you to keep for the duration of your NICU stay so that you would have my scent nearby even when I was away.

I love you sweet baby. And I'm so proud of you.

THE BIRTHDAY COUNTDOWN: 5 DAYS

On November 6, 2014 we found out that you were a girl! I remember it like it was yesterday. We recently lost our beloved dog, Oni, unexpectedly, so we were experiencing some heartache, but knowing that we would soon find out if your were a he or a she lightened our hearts. Your dad said from the beginning that he hoped you were a girl and I kept reciting that I didn't care either way as long as you were healthy. But deep down, I think I knew you were a girl. When the doctor at the ultrasound appointment told us that you were in fact a girl we were so happy and full of joy. And things started to feel very very real. I daydreamed about you every single day after that until you arrived. I love you little girl! xoxo

THE BIRTHDAY COUNTDOWN: 6 DAYS

After a happy Valentine's Day weekend (thanks grams and grandpa for Maeve's first Valentine's Day card!), I am excited to keep the countdown to your first birthday going, today with photos from your first holidays! So many fun memories live in these photos...

We spent your first Passover at a Seder hosted by friends of our pals Sam and Meghan. This was just weeks before their baby, and your friend, Lucille, arrived! Grandma and grandpa brought you your first Passover and Easter dresses.

And your first Easter bonnet! Ah! So stinking adorable!

That's you, dressed very patriotic, for your first July 4th! Daddy cooked on the grill!

And there you are with grams, cousins Isla and Louis, and pal Lila, on your first Halloween!

And there you are with grandma and grandpa on your first Thanksgiving! Auntie Carole and cousin Zay came to visit you, too, that day!

And sitting next to grandpa at aunt Gina and uncle Taylor's house on Thanksgiving night. Uncle Wade came down to celebrate, too!

Daddy holding you between Christmases at both sets of grandparents' houses!

New Year's Day fun with mommy's fitbit!

And finally, your first Valentine's Day!

Ah. So much fun, little one! xoxo

THE BIRTHDAY COUNTDOWN: 7 DAYS

Going places. Your first time on an airplane. On our way to NYC to visit uncle Wade. Such a cute memory! xo

THE BIRTHDAY COUNTDOWN: 8 DAYS

Before diving into today's birthday countdown post, I have some exciting news! You spent some time with grandma and grandpa yesterday and you are starting to sound out a special name for grandma.

When you see her you say, unprompted, "nanananana." So exciting!

And you also gave grandpa a kiss. So sweet!

Now back to your birthday countdown. Eight more days, baby girl! I'll continue counting down the days by sharing some of my favorite photos of you from your first year. It's been so surreal and wonderful watching you grow and change through the months. When you were first born I thought you looked just like your dad and very much like your grandpa Wade and uncle Wade. Nearly a year later I see a lot of myself in you and my parents in you. It's fascinating.

One thing has remained the same, though. You have the best hair!!! It has changed through the months (from dark and thick, to strawberry blond, to very very thin, and now thick and blond). Here, my dear, is the evolution of Maeve hair through the year...

Be still my heart. Your hair was so spiky and awesome when we brought you home from the NICU. I would literally stare at it in awe for hours.

As the weeks passed, your hair became increasingly red, for a while. And it was adorable.

Then it lightened up and fluffed up. It was like duck hair. So painfully cute.

Then it started to thin and we thought you would be bald for a bit (which would have been adorable). I was bald until I was, like, two. And the photo above? I could have eaten you up!!!

Just when we thought you were losing all of your baby hair, it started growing fast and getting really really blond. And you started wearing bows and headbands!

Look at all that beautiful, thick, blond hair!!! So so cute baby girl! xo

THE BIRTHDAY COUNTDOWN: 9 DAYS

In honor of your upcoming birthday, I'm continuing to share some of my favorite photos from our first year with you! While going through photos on my phone I noticed I had a lot of you in grocery carts. Ha! So I thought I would create this exhibit or series, we'll call "Maeve in a Buggy: the First Year." :)

Ha! I don't know. I guess you just look so irresistibly cute to me that I have to snap a photo of you with my phone no matter where we are. And we just happen to spend a lot of time at Harris Teeter, Target and Whole Foods. Ha!

Oh...and here is a bonus! From grandpa's phone...

xoxo

THE BIRTHDAY COUNTDOWN: 10 DAYS

Before I dive into thoughts about your birthday I have to say thank you to grams and grandpa for watching you yesterday! You ate a banana, played, read books and snuggled. And when I picked you up you were as happy as a clam! And so relaxed. I could tell you had a great time.

So, my girl, it's just about that time: your birthday! It's ten days away! I can't believe it! I thought it might be fun to share some of my favorite photos from the year as a countdown of sorts!

The photo above was taken yesterday during bath time. And the photo below...

...ah! So so so cute Maevey! It was taken a little more than a year ago, when you were still in the NICU. It was your first bath. It is one of my most treasured photos. Maybe my absolute favorite. I remember that moment like it was yesterday. One of our favorite NICU nurses, Sussy (pronounced Suzy), held you and bathed you while we helped. It was amazing because that moment was full of so much wonder and hope. It symbolized that you would hopefully be discharged soon and it was one of your very first firsts! And the simple act of bathing you also made an abnormal situation (being in the NICU) feel a little normal. I know your dad remembers it, too, because to this day, I still make him do "the impression of Maeve during her first bath!" Your eyes. They got so big and your gaze bounced around from your dad and I to Sussy. It was adorable.

"DOGGIE"

It was a good weekend, Maeve! Friday night was spent at a girls' night with you, me and grandma. Saturday morning daddy joined us in Raleigh for swim lessons. He was in the pool with you this week and described your performance as "flawless." No crying this week in the pool! And you got to meet auntie Pebbles and uncle Jeff Saturday, too! They adored you, and you, them. Finally, Sunday night we went over to your friend Lucille's house to watch the Super Bowl. Watching you two together is pretty much the best thing ever!

Now rewind to Friday night for a moment...grandma noticed that you had a special word for Mikey and Roxie (her pups). She wasn't sure what it was, but noticed you repeating something when you saw them throughout the day. Friday night you and I were playing in grandma's bedroom floor and in walked Roxie. You lit up and said something, enthusiastically and intentionally.

At first it sounded like "gah-gah."

No, that wasn't it.

"Gah-ghee."

I said it out loud.

And then it hit me!

You were saying "doggie!"

I was so impressed and so proud! I really wasn't prepared for how mesmerizing and wonderful it would be to watch you develop and learn. It is amazing!

Love you, Maevey!

WEEKEND FUN!

Saturday was spent at another swim lesson followed by a quick lunch with grandma and grandpa! You love swim lessons. You love walking in and seeing all of the kids and the pool. Your instructor's name is Haley and she teaches you new songs, too. Your partner in the pool is Sasha and he's been swimming for about four months now. You are still a little leery of the water and alternate between crying and laughing when you're in the pool. Fortunately, you seem to be laughing a little more than crying! Your favorite part of the class is when you float on your back and kick your legs. Your least favorite part of the class is when we take your pool toys from you and throw them to the other end of the pool (before "swimming" to them together). In general, you don't like to have things taken from you. :)

Sunday was lovely. First, the weather was incredible. Springlike even. We had brunch at grams and grandpa's house where we were joined by uncle Taylor and cousins Isla and Louis. You had the best time, Maeve. Your cousins spent lots of time playing with you. At one point I looked over and you were all playing together on the floor with grams and you were practically beaming. When Isla and Louis talk to you, or perform for you, or kiss you, or try to make you laugh, you light up. You love their attention and it makes me so happy to see you with them. Even though I try to take you to a lot of museums and activities where you can socialize with other kids, you don't spend a ton of time with other children. And you love other children. It's almost like being with Isla and Louis make you feel like you're a part of something special. Like a special club. I just love that and how they seem to make you feel. I hope you have a childhood full of amazing memories with your cousins.

We finished the day with a walk on campus with grandpa, daddy, uncle Taylor, Isla and Louis. It was perfect.

This weekend made me think ahead to spring and summer and all the adventures I hope we'll have. I love you baby girl!