Happy 1st Birthday Madelyn!!!!

I honestly can not believe it's been a year since Miss Madelyn joined our family!  She is an absolute joy and we are so incredibly blessed to be her parents.  She lights up our lives and Ryan & I often say to each other.......what did we do before our sweetheart was here?!  It's amazing to see how much she has grown in only her first year of life.  She is a walking, talking, curious, giggling, smiling and oh so happy little girl!

I often get tears in my eyes as I reflect on my life.  Only a few years ago I wondered if I would ever get married and have children......and in only 4 short years I am married to the most amazing husband and we have the most incredible daughter!!!!

In the past couple days she has started saying "daddy".  It's so cute how she says it.  Absolutely melts our hearts!  She understands more & more of what we are saying.  She is able to follow simple commands - at first I thought it was just coincidental but I think she really understands what we are saying/what she is doing.

She loves daycare and has so many friends there.  I know I've said it before but we love our daycare and are so thankful for the amazing, caring, loving teachers who take such great care of Madelyn.

She has her 1 year appointment next Thursday.  She is still drinking breast milk/nursing in the morning and at night.  We are going to start on whole milk and wean from nursing.  We'll probably start next week.  I just couldn't take that away from her on her birthday weekend.

Here are a few of our favorite pictures from the last year:

April 13th, 2011

Going home from the hospital

So happy!

Always laughing

Daddy & Madelyn

Our happy family

Madelyn & Cousin Bishop

Mommy & Madelyn at Christmas

Walking!

At the park for the 1st time - Madelyn loved it

One of Madelyn's favorite things to do - help with the dishes

Cousin Bishop & Madelyn - they have so much fun together!

Easter Sunday

Lots of teeth

The last night before Madelyn turned 1

Reading stories with Daddy before bedtime