Happy Birthday!

One year-old. It's so hard to believe that her first year has passed. I spent a lot of time thinking of how to spend her day, trying to figure out something really fun to do. In the end, I decided she would most like to play all day, at home. And that is what we did. Eric and I serenaded her this morning - she is starting to recognize this Happy Birthday song after we sang it to her dad on Friday and celebrated her great-grandma's 90th birthday at her party on Saturday. We serenaded her again this evening when she enjoyed her cupcake. She opened her presents this morning and not so patiently awaited Eric putting together her gift from us. We did head outside only for brunch (high of 16 degrees today), where Audrey made a friend with the waiter who brought her a chocolate chip pancake doused with chocolate syrup and whipped cream for her birthday. She got a taste of the whipped cream before I could snag it and have her eat applesauce first. She was so unhappy to not get to eat her special treat first that I caved, and she got her wish. She happily ate her applesauce though too, and waved and offered her brunch to the waiter whenever he would pass by. Friends for life.

We recounted to Audrey the events of 1 year ago today. How I didn't keep much of anything down, even up to the day of her birth. How I insisted on Eric taking my picture that morning (and not really much before then). How Eric forgot his wallet and cell phone, despite this being a scheduled delivery. How we were running late to the hospital, and Eric kept saying they were going to cancel the delivery. This still makes me laugh. How excited I was when the nurse told me I was having contractions when she hooked me up to all the monitors, then said they were no where near what's needed to be anything of help to move things along more naturally. How nervous I was that Eric would pass out during the surgery since he put his head between his legs during the c-section cartoon video during childbirth class (our instructor had to stop and ask Eric if he was ok). How the nurse said we either had a blonde or a redhead. (I knew it - a redhead!) How when I said hello to Audrey, she looked up at me, examining me carefully, as if thinking, "So, THIS is what you look like!" We don't remember much else since Audrey had her days and nights mixed up, and pooped too many times to count that first day (all for her dad!). I do remember Eric taking Audrey for a stroll in her rolling crib to try to get her to sleep. I also remember him thanking her for sleeping for 5 minutes and asked her to sleep for 10 the next time. He also helped with her first bath and stayed with her during her EKG. All the nurses couldn't stop talking about her red hair.

Audrey makes the holidays, especially Christmas, so much better. Best gift ever.