6.12.2008

You and I, and a Love so Tender

Sadie and Raw

Please don't be angry with me. I didn't really forget your birthday. I knew it was the twelfth and that the day was coming soon. It's just that my brain won't register that particular day every month this year.

But since I love you so much, something in my brain went off this morning at work and said "Hey! This is Sadie's Twelfth!"

So here it is, still on the right day. Just a little later than usual. If you hadn't kept me up so late partying at your house . . .

This year has flown by, but you're so big! It seems like surely you must be older than one! You're almost as big as your sister! As I'm looking back through your pictures, I almost don't recognize that wrinkly old man I met a year ago.

The first year is pretty cool. Babies go through so many changes in that time. And you're right on top of that!

You started out looking a lot like Sophia. But as you grew, you became pretty different. You're going to be my little Mexican gal. I hope you got the tortilla making gene from your grandma, too!

Speaking of food . . . Dang! You can eat! Especially if it's beans! I was eating specials with you and your family one night. Everyone had filed through and had their seconds. You were on fourths well after everyone else was done. You were so mad when we finally pulled you out of your chair. But your belly was so full! It was hard and physically stretched to the limit! We kept poking it and laughing. You just smiled like we were crazy.

Have I mentioned your smile yet? Back around the time you were baptized, your smile changed. Instead of smiling with your mouth, you used your nose. It almost looked like anger! Lately, you've been scrunching your nose and smiling with your mouth. Which is, of course, adorable!

You've developed a lot of really cute actions recently. Your sister is the queen of shaking her booty, but you're quickly catching on. You bounce up and down to get that booty shaking!

And you've discovered the art of kissing. Lovely, slimy, open-mouthed kisses.

One night, you crawled in a circle from me to your mom to your dad and back again. Around and around you went, planting sloppy kisses on us. No wonder we all got the same cold!

My favorite is the high-five. Your daddy hates the high-five! And you love it! I'm pretty sure you'd high-five me all day long if I was up for it. You make it up to your daddy, though, every time I ask you to say "Bee."

You grin, wrinkle your nose, and I always think "This is it! She's going to say it!"

"DaDa!"

The thing I'm struggling with most is how shy you are at first. I reach for you and you freak out. One day, you got really mad at me. Apparently you weren't as ready as I thought you were for me to greet you. You yelled at me. You continued to yell at me after I put you down and you crawled away. You went to your grandma and threw dirty looks at me for ten minutes. You have serious attitude!

It's difficult for me, because I have all this love I want to shower upon you right away. It's hard to hold back. But I'm trying to be patient. I'm learning that look means "No way!" And it's worth it to wait.

I'll always be here waiting to give you a kiss and a big hug. And plenty of booty pinches!

Happy Birthday, Sadie!

Heart,
Aunt Bee

Sadie

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