Being a 1 year old is awesome.

I don't remember it. But I love re-living it.

Today was a less busy day in which I enjoyed a lot of time just being friends with my daughter. We headed out in the morning to get our hair cuts. She was braver than I expected. We stopped by the slide on our way home and she went down the same slide over and over until I pointed out that there was another slide on the other side of the play area. A whole new world to her. She then enjoyed that slide over and over. Running the long way around the playground after every thrilling ride down that bumpy plastic slope. We listened to "Wheels on the Bus" the entire ride home while she danced with Dora and Boots in her carseat. Lunch time brought noodles & strawberries & yogurt smeared on her small, happy face and down her purple butterfly shirt. A change of clothes and off to sleep land. I snuggle her close and enjoy the precious moments I have to hold her in my arms. One day she will be too big to want to cuddle me so close. But today, it's her source of love and security and happiness. The only world she really knows. I stroke her thin, blonde hair and 

watch her eyelids close.

"Momma! Momma!" She's awake and wants to let me know. I'm excited to see her precious, smiling face and feel her arms around my neck. We laugh. We sing. We play Hide n' Seek with Woody and Buzz. She holds her hands over her cheeks while counting. "1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12!" Her face lights up as we run through the house searching for her little stuffed friends. They are real to her. And maybe even a little scary when they are hiding for her to find them. She waits for me before entering a dark room and squeezes my hand so tightly. 

We find them and repeat. Over and over and over.

We walk to get the mail and find box #3. "Duck!" she yells as I pull out a magazine with a rubber duck on the front cover. "Airplane!" she squeals as a plane flies by above. Everything is an adventure. Everything is exciting.

We drive cars and do puzzles, read books and march around the house. I talk on the phone, she follows me on hers. I sing a song, she sings right along. 

We are so happy to have each other.

If time could stand still, I would ask it to do so.