Ellowyn is 1 year old!

I can't believe it's already been a year.  I'm excited and sad at the same time: excited because every day I see a little more of the person Ellowyn is growing into, sad because she's my last and so I know there are so many experiences that I'll never have again.  

I mean, who would want this face to grow up and change? Hmm?  

"Books are cool!  But I'm not so sure about this one..."

Ellowyn is showing herself to be a very different kind of person than Mira is.  Ellowyn is much more independent and adventurous.  She takes easily to new people and situations.

She sure loves her naked time after bath.
It's perhaps her happiest time of day.  Until the jammies come out.

She's still loving food as much as ever.  I swear she eats like a trucker.  And yet, still not much to show for it: she's still only about 17 pounds, putting her under the 5th percentile for weight.  (We'll get all her stats at her 1 yr well check next week.)  I guess she has a remarkably fast metabolism?

Perhaps a bit more practice with utensils is in order. 

And she's completely mastered the art of cruising.  She can cruise hanging on to virtually any surface.  We are working on getting her to walk while holding a hand, but she's not quite confident enough to try it yet.

On the day of her birthday, we did have a little celebration with just our family (there will be a bigger party with the extended family and friends coming up this weekend).  Mira picked out the strawberry cupcakes and helped me make them.  

Ellowyn was skeptical at first...

But then she realized there was cake.  

We had been saving sweet sugary treats till her first birthday, so this was her first experience with dessert.  She was hesitant at first, but quickly warmed up to the idea.

Mira, on the other hand, is an expert on the subject of cake.  

Cake face is not so cakey.