Linda at One

It's hard to believe it's only been a year since I was giving birth in a parking lot in Denmark. It's hard to believe this amazing little girl has only been part of our family for twelve short months. She's such an integral part of our daily dynamic I can hardly remember what life was like without her. Mary and Isaac are forever trying to help her sit, walk, climb the stairs, eat, drink, dance and all sorts of other things that turn dangerous with 4- and 5-year-old help. For her birthday they frosted her cake, blew out her candle, and opened her presents.

Linda has moved to the "out-to-in" stage, in other words, putting toys into a box, which is illustrated in the sink/bath video below. She's not inherently destructive and only has one drawer of tupperware she consistently feels driven to throw all around the kitchen. She only throws food from her high chair when she's finished eating, but loves the sound of her sippy cup landing in the garbage can. (Anyone seen her green cup?) She loves to be outside and throws herself with reckless abandon down the slide. Her clothes are always a mess but she doesn't put everything in her mouth like Mary did, so she easily earns the opportunity to roam the playground at her leisure.

In the morning when she wakes up, she lays in bed and calls "Isaac! Isaac!" When she is laid down in bed at night she smiles and waves and says "night, night." But if you take away her spoon or her car or her ball or don't deliver fast enough the apple or banana or tomato, the screaming begins. Her favorite people are the aforementioned Isaac and her daddy, but she enjoys Mom and Mary well enough if they give her what she wants.

The first two pictures were taken at the Curnutts in New Mexico in February. The next batch are of her birthday. The last video and two pictures are at the Museum of Science and Industry on her actual birthday, where she got soaked playing in the water (mother of three knows to always bring extra clothes).