Olivia's First Birthday!!

Olivia turned one on Friday, October 28, 2011. We had a wonderful day (I will post about that tomorrow or Tuesday), but I wanted to do a quick trip through memory lane over the last year. It's amazing all the things that have changed in our lives, and all the wonderful experiences that Alex and I wouldn't have had without this sweet addition to our lives. I am forever changed, and wouldn't trade one moment of it.

So here goes...

One day old:

Our beautiful girl. I never imagined that I would share a birthday with my child, it was the absolute best birthday gift ever. Our serene, beautiful daughter was wonderful from the moment she was born. I was actually concerned because I thought babies were supposed to cry after they were born, but Olivia was just watchful and observant. She stayed that way most of the night, before falling asleep and sleeping most of the day. I'm always amazed by how little she has cried in her first year. We are very blessed. 

1 Month: (November 28)
She looks very serious here, which was common in her first month. The last picture is on the way home from our photo shoot, right after her first blowout diaper. Unfortunately we weren't able to get a picture because it was in the photo studio (where they don't allow cameras), all over their infant support pillow :) I think she looks like a little boxer in her blanket.

2 Months: (December 28)
Introducing the smiley baby that we see all the time now. Her little face thinned out a lot this month, and she began to have that "kid" look

At about 5 weeks Olivia started to smile, and smiled for about the next six months straight

3 Months: (January 28)
The bonus picture in this one is the first time we put her in the Jenny Jump Up. She had the time of her life, but it just looked SO awkward we waited a few months before putting her in it again.

4 Months: (February 28)
During her fourth month, Olivia made her first TV appearance! We also went to Disneyland, which meant that before her 4-month birthday, Olivia had been in 5 states! (Oregon, Washington, Idaho, California, Utah)

Olivia also learned to roll over this month. I'm pretty sure she was just biding her time, because as soon as se rolled over the first time, she would roll over all the time, and just laugh :)

5 Months: (March 28) Yes, we are sideways and I'm not fixing it :)

6 Months: (April 28)
Olivia loved to stand as soon as she figured out that she could. She wasn't able to pull herself up just yet, but if someone stood her up next to something, she would grab on and hold tight with white knuckles. She also learned to sit on her own this month! This gave her a new freedom, and she suddenly became much less happy on our laps. She wanted to sit by herself all the time!

7 Months: (May 28)
This is the beginning of the "lack of photoshoots" every month. Olivia's sweet personality continued to grow in leaps and bounds, which led to her refusing to sit and smile for pictures anymore. She is always on the move, so we take what we can get :) She made her first crawling steps right at the end of the month, one day before her 7 month birthday.

8 Months: (June 28)
And we have an official crawler on our hands! We said goodbye for now to Alex this month as he moved down to Fresno for his new job. As soon as he was gone, Olivia knew she was no longer outnumbered, and decided to become totally mobile and adventurous :)

9 Months: (July 28) The stank face :)
This was taken at Twin Lakes, when I refused to give her the rest of my ice cream. I learned my lesson, and the next time I got an ice cream cone I left her with Grandma :). We spent most of August in Idaho with the Grovers, which was a huge relief for me, because for some reason being outnumbered 5:3 in the kid:adult ratio seems much easier than 1:1. We had a blast, Olivia experienced her first water park, and really enjoyed playing with her cousins. She had much more freedom in this kid-friendly house, where she was allowed to just crawl around following whoever she wanted.

10 Months: (August 28)
And a successful kneeboarding trip! In all honestly, she did get on a kneeboard at Twin Lakes in July, but as soon as the kneeboard hit the water she started screaming. This trip was much more successful, she loved the water, and swam with me for a little bit after sitting on the kneeboard for a while.

We also enjoyed the state fair this month! We went twice, once with each side of the family. It was a blast, and isn't she wearing a cute bow!

11 Month:
This was quite a busy month for our family, we got married! Pictures of that will come soon, and since I don't want to spoil it, I have included a picture of her sucking on a honeysuckle! She really enjoyed it, but it might just be because her grandpa gave her a plant to eat and I didn't stop him!

Olivia also learned to walk this month. She still reserves her walking mostly for at home, but she is getting more confident each day.

12 Months!
Last Friday Olivia turned 1. She is quite a character now, always exploring, climbing, and proving to her mother that I am no longer in charge! Here are her birthday pictures (actual pictures from her birthday to come later this week)

 The last one is very special to me. This is her wedding dress, and the quilt that my Grandma Grahyl made for Alex and I for our wedding. She is also demonstrating her standing-on-her own skills!

And some Halloween pictures. I consider this a major accomplishment because this is the first hat she has worn successfully! The cutest little duckling I've ever seen :)

And that concludes Olivia's first year. We move on to toddler-hood, and although I miss rocking my baby in my arms, I look forward to all the new adventures we will have this year. I'm glad the first year has the most changes, because I feel like we barely had a day between each major new skill and accomplisment.

I hope you all have enjoyed this trip down memory lane as much as I have!