My Layla Rose

Layla Rose you are about to turn 1 in a few weeks and I feel like I have not had a moment to stop and pause to think about what an remarkable joy you have been in my life. In less than a year you have already taught me so much and proven me wrong on more than I ever imagined.  While I was pregnant with you I told myself time and time again that I was not a girly girl and I was scared to raise a daughter. To my surprise I absolutely love dressing you head to toe with matching accessories every single day! I tell your teachers you can take off the shoes and headbands when I leave but if I don’t put them on you have nowhere else to wear them.  You are the most strong-willed, charismatic, expressive, happy little girl I could have ever hoped for. Taking a quick minute to focus on the strong-willed part this scares me to my core; they say what goes around comes back around twice as bad. Layla, I was also a very strong-willed child and I drove my parent’s nuts! I have always believed since I am that way that I would know how to handle a child like myself, time will tell but when you have your mind made up nothing I do or say matters.  One thing I do know is you will be the time that learns from her own mistakes and won’t handle being told what to do well. You are only one but when I say “Layla don’t do that because you are going to smash your fingers” unfortunately it is going to take you smashing your fingers to stop doing it. I will continue to guide you and help you not hurt yourself but as a toddler my prediction is it might take a few bumps and bruises to learn these things for yourself.

On another note you are so sweet and hilarious. Your facial expressions alone are beyond your years. Brandis says “every time she sees you that you look at her like she owes you money.” Your teachers say you stare them down if they don’t give you what you want. When I hand you your sippy cup and you don’t want it you hold it over your tray and stare at me until I turn around, the second you know I’m watching you drop it, when I give it back you repeat the same process. I used to give you three strikes, now you get one chance. But you make me smile over and over. Every time I look at you I see everything anyone has ever described about me as a kid, I laugh at loud. I have always “known what I want” and I’m okay with you being the same way.

With all your facial expressions you give I see your daddy in you also. Layla the way you make all your faces you look just like him. You can lift one eyebrow like him or lift both and tilt your head down. The two of you make the exact same faces.  Your laughter can fill a room and be heard for miles. This is something you share with your brother. The two of you have the exact same laugh and it is music to my ears especially since I hear it often.

As we approach your 1^st birthday you have started walking a few weeks ago at the age of 11 months. You have officially hit the ground running and are all over the place. You can also go up the stairs and when you get tired you stop and reach for me. You love to climb and try to get up on anything your little legs will allow you to. You babble all the time the words that are clear are dada, mama, baba (bottle), da-da (for dog or dolce), and uh-oh. You have hi and bye. You love to give high fives and say “da” as you touch hands.  You just started blowing kisses and can do up and down with your arms as we say it. Above all peek-a-boo is your favorite game to play and you will do this for hours.