Happy Birthday Precious Baby Girl!!

Then. . .

And now. . .

Peyton will be ONE tomorrow (August 11th). I specifically remember how I felt this same night one year ago, knowing that the next morning we would be heading to hospital for the scheduled c-section. I let Parker sleep in our bed and remember wondering how I would love another child as much as I loved him. . .

I had so badly wanted to have a more natural delivery, but Peyton was past my due date and much like she is now, proved to be very stubborn and to do things on her terms!! We ended up scheduling the c-section at my 40 week check-up on the last possible day that my doctor could do the surgery before goingon vacation. I vividly remember talking to my doctor about how active Peyton was while she was in my womb, and and Nate and I predicted that this little girl would be the same outside of the womb-something that has been proven over the past 12 months!

Peyton has been an active baby-she is generally not content doing one thing for long unless she is entertained by others or with food, always anxious to do everything herself, extremely busy. . . . We spent her first 4 months literally bouncing her on the exercise ball for hours a day to get her to sleep as she never wanted to miss out on anything and refused to sleep on her own. I've been told that she was like me as a baby-so very different and unique from Parker who is much more like Nate. Needless to say, Peyton is one determined and ambitious little girl - traits that will bode well later life!!

It has been so sweet to see how the kids adore each other. I hope their relationship is always like this-where Parker looks after her and she looks up to him (minus the Parker being over-zealous in his affection towards her).

It truly has been amazing to learn and understand how it IS possible to love more than one child at the same time. While our children are so different, this is exactly why we appreciate and value them both so much for their own unique offerings. . .

Happy 1st Birthday, baby girl!!