The Tolbert Family: 1 year old today!

Happy birthday, sweet Anna Kate! Can it really have been a whole year since the doctor handed you to your daddy and me and said, "It's a girl! And she's a big one!"? I will never forget those first few moments after 5:02pm on February 8, 2010. Our lives were forever changed and we are so grateful for the blessing that you are to us. While we know that it is our responsibility to raise you and teach you, you have actually taught us so much this past year. You have taught us about love and trust and dependence and discipline and sacrifice and what an incredible thing it is for God to call us his children.
I know that memories sometimes have a way of fading with time, so that is why I have been so careful to keep these records of your first year of life. I don't ever want to forget these precious moments! Here is what I want to remember about your 12th month:

~You are just on the verge of walking! A couple of weeks ago you started lunging forward one step, and then just this past week you have started to do a few more steps at a time. I think your record is 6! Now, crawling is still your preferred mode of transportation (well, that or be carried), but I don't think it will be long!
~You have really started talking a lot more this month. Here are the words you say a lot: Mama, Dada, Ball, Nana (banana), Do (Dog), Ni-ni (night-night), No no, Bapa (diaper), Duh (duck), Bye bye, Hi, Ama (Amen)
~You are starting to learn manners at the table. You have learned to sign the words "please" (rub your chest with your hand) and "all done" (wave both hands). You are even starting to do them without prompting
~Speaking of the table, you love to pray before we eat and before you go to sleep. When we say it's time to pray, you promptly fold your little hands. You also say amen at the end of the prayer (or before the end if you think it's going too long...)
~You know two of your animal sounds: oof oof oof (dog) and baaaaaaa (sheep).
~Speaking of dogs, you have quite the fascination with them. I'm not sure where this came from, since we don't have one, but every time you see a dog (either in person, or even just a picture of one) you go absolutely nuts saying "Do do do do, oof oof oof oof!". You also still think that all animals are dogs...we're working on it!
~One of Mommy and Daddy's favorite developments this month is that you are finally sleeping from 7:30pm to somewhere between 6-7am. I know some might think this is an early wake-up call, but it's much better than you calling for Mama at 3am!
~You are still an extremely loving little girl and love to give hugs and kisses to anyone who will let you. You also blow kisses whenever you tell people bye-bye!
~You are starting to learn some of the parts of your body. You know your ears, toes, and belly button!
~You know the answer to your first catechism question: "Who made Anna Kate?" Well, maybe you don't really say the answer, but you point to the sky when we say, "God made Anna Kate!"
~When we ask you what your favorite snack is, you are quick to respond, "Nana!" You LOVE bananas and I think would live off them alone if I would let you.
~You have started to play pretend, especially with your tea set from Uncle Stephen and Aunt Rachael and Leah. You take pretend sips out of the cups and say, "Mmmmmm!"
~You love music and always dance (bob up and down) whenever you hear it.
~You are quite a girly girl when it comes to getting dirty. You don't like to have your hands or face dirty at all, whether it's dirt or grass from being outside, or food at the table, you like to be clean!
~Speaking of being girly, you love to brush your own hair. Sometimes you use the wrong side of the brush, but you're trying!
~You still take two naps a day of about an hour and a half each. Sometimes you will let mommy know it's naptime by just laying down on the floor and starting to fall asleep!
~One of your favorite times of day is your bathtime. In fact, if we forget to shut the bathroom door throughout the day, sometimes we'll find you in there with one leg up on the side trying to climb in! You love to play with all your animals in the tub and you're also very good about saying night night to each one and putting them all away one by one.
~Your favorite silly song is the "Itsy Bitsy Spider". You know almost all the motions to it and think it's about the best thing ever. You also think it's hilarious to do it super fast!
~While most of the time you are a very sweet girl, we have definitely had to start disciplining you a little bit more this month. There are a couple things that you know are no-no's, but you still like to do: get into the entertainment center cabinet, and throw your food on the floor when you're finished. We know that you know they are no-no's because sometimes you say "no-no" right BEFORE you do them! But you're learning. Yesterday I saw you inching your way toward the entertainment center, reach out your hand to open it, then say "no-no" and back away all on your own! What a good girl!
~Finally, you know the answer to the question, "How old are you?" You very proudly hold up one little finger! (We actually started working on it a couple weeks ago so that you would be ready for today!)

Anna Kate, we love you and hope that by God's grace we get to celebrate many, many more birthdays with you! Happy 1st birthday, sweet girl!

And here are your pictures:

1 month