Happy Birthday my little Azaléia - 4 May

Today is my baby's 1st Birthday!Does that mean she is not a baby anymore? Now that she walks all over...and loves exploring every cabinet and anything her hands can grasp...she seems so big...truly a little girl now. She is so much fun! Ernesto and I are constantly laughing...with her budding and bright personality beaming out of her little body. She grows more beautiful every day...and we could not be happier with her an eternal part of our family!Some of the things I love about Azaléia...*when she meets someone new and I'm holding her...she plays timid...and then puts her head against me...it is so precious...and really makes me melt.

*she loves to see herself in the mirror. I think she has a conversation with her friend "Azalea" just about every morning...it is too funny to listen to.

*when she is nursing or when she is tired and wants to sleep...she has to have hair going through her fingers...so she twirls and twirls...preferably my hair...but her hair will do the trick if my hair is in a pony tail.
*she loves drawers and cupboards...opening...taking it everything out...and closing...too funny!*luckily she loves brushing her teeth with her little toothbrush.

*she loves to be outside. who doesn't? we love to chill on a blanket under the tree or go for a nice walk around the neighborhood. with the spring blossoms everywhere...we are happy happy!
*ernesto taught her the ET finger touch...so she loves meeting index fingers together with her mama and papa...it is so fun to see her face light up when the points of the fingers meet.

*every Sunday at church she stands up on the chair and talks with everyone seated behind us. quite the little flirt with the older brethren in our ward...but everyone tells us how much they love her as a distraction. she is so cute...i don't blame them.

*she also loves to sing at church and at home. she loves to have the hymn book in front of her and sings quite loud...at home too. i love that she has a connection with music. she is not much for watching tv...but when someone is singing on tv...it captivates her.

*she is still in the stage of putting everything in her mouth...which makes for some interesting situations. papa lets her discover the taste of new things...as where mama is a little more cautious.

*when she pushes the stools around the kitchen...or the laundry basket around the house. she wants to be so big.

*she loves loves loves loves her cousin Charlie...they really are the best of friends. i love when they communicate with each other...it is precious.*she loves cellular phones...and now constantly puts the phone up to her ear to listen. the funny thing is when she puts her shoes, a book...or whatever small toy up to her ear as if it is a cell phone too. she also loves to push the buttons on her papa's cell phone until it makes noises.My friend Danielle's little girl was born this afternoon...and it makes me think of how much has changed since our little Azaléia joined our family. Ernesto and I are happier people with Azaléia in our lives. I'm grateful for the opportunity to be a mother...not something every woman is blessed with in this life...and I feel so so so blessed and so loved to have that special experience to be a mother. I feel very emotional when I think about how Azaléia has helped me as an individual to grow...how she brings so much happiness...how she brings so much purpose. Motherhood is a divine calling...and truly allows me to feel a glimpse of what my Heavenly Father feels towards her and towards me.
Happy Birthday my little Bubbas! Mama and Papa love you!
We did something small today...since the big celebration will be this Saturday. We had a lovely walk, played with some flowers...ate at Tucanos for lunch...and shared some yummy pear crisp for the birthday song. It was a lovely day!