12 Months

Emily, you are 1 YEAR OLD today!

At one year old, you:

• weigh 24lbs 1oz and are 26.5" long.
• wear a size 4 diaper, 12-18mos clothes, and 4 shoe. If I'm being honest I can't say what size shoe you wear because you don't wear them.You refuse to keep shoes on and have outgrown most that Ella wore. So I'm waiting until it cools down to force the issue.

• Take 21 ounces of formula and 180mg of Phe. You have transitioned off of all your infant formula and now are solely on Periflex Junior (the formula you will take until your adolescent years). Currently in those 21 ounces you get 120g of Periflex...and you seem to be tolerating it well. Now we've got to get you taking that formula through a sippy cup.
• You love food. Baby food, finger food, anything you don't have to drink to get. You still eat mostly baby food because it is more difficult to get you to eat finger foods in a quantity that can be counted for Phe, but you sure love to try! 

• You have seven teeth. Four on top and three on bottom. I think that fourth bottom one is making its way to the top, but I haven't seen or felt it quite yet.
• Sleep awesome. All night and two long naps. We had to get rid of the Woombie because you were moving around too much, but you've done fine without it. Now we have to figure out a way to lose the, ahem, pacifier...

• Your phe levels have been in range for the month! Praise God! 
• You got another ear infection (boo) this month so we have to go for a follow up and find out the plan of action for those ears of yours, which are now pierced, by the way.  

• You talk and make noises constantly. You can say a large handful of words, to which you added the most important one this month: Mama! Makes me happy :)
• You have the longest arms in the country, I'm certain. I have no idea how you manage to reach the things you do, especially since you haven't moved for nearly the whole month, but you can. You have cleared tables of water glasses more than once with no notice at all.

• You wave hey and bye bye, clap, give fives, point to things and bang on anything around you. Those hands are constantly busy.
• Also worth noting this month, you had something called Nursemaid's Elbow. Basically one afternoon you got up from your nap and shortly thereafter began screaming bloody murder until I took you to after hours. After diagnosing it, they set your left elbow/joint/tendon back in place and you immediately stopped screaming. It was like nothing I've ever seen. And frankly I hope I never have to see it again. No more holding or helping or pulling you up by the hands!

• You are crawling! It seems surreal that I can even type those words, but it's true. One day shy of your first birthday you took off, and haven't looked back. You pull up pretty well and cruise some, but not too much. You love to walk with someone holding those hands of yours.
• You were evaluated by a physical therapist this month. You were considered "mildly delayed" because you weren't crawling, but it wasn't due to muscular or neurological development. It was all motivation and temperament. So we will have to see what the next couple of months bring. I know one thing for sure, he (the therapist) made you SO mad. Man, you screamed and screamed...but I guess it was effective. You better start walking soon or he'll do the same thing to you all over again. 

It seems so unreal that one year ago today, at 6:21pm you were delivered by doctors and brought into our lives. You were on your toes then, and boy oh boy, do you still keep us on our toes today! Your care is time consuming and often emotionally draining. Mainly because it's tough on you. Sometimes I think I'm not smart enough to figure out one more ratio, figure out the Phe content of something, or weigh out one more day's worth of formula, but I know God is using our family and your PKU for His glory somehow. You have an enormous cheering section, and they have often times encouraged me or just taken the bottle at just the right time. You (we) are blessed, so blessed with your circle of family and friends. This year hasn't always been easy, and I'm still learning, but now looking back, it makes this milestone on your life almost seem even sweeter. You are my sweet, smiley, baby girl. And I love you way more than you will ever know. 

Happy Birthday, Em!

We love you baby girl!