Porter's big birthday

Porter is turning one next week. It is really hard to imagine that a year has gone by so quickly (and with so many changes for our family). Porter handled the move like a champ and has done well in adjusting to new people and  places. She is our little ray of sunshine.
Here is what she is up to:

Says several words - she can identify mama and dada and sometimes calls us the right name. She calls all animals "do" like dog. She was meowing, when she saw a cat, but that has now changed to "do" She can also growl/roar. This is by far my favorite skill.  She will be looking at a book with animals all on her own, just doing little growls. Its hilarious.  She said "puh" for up today. and she will hum/sing along when I read to mimic the pattern of my voice.

Walks. Make that runs. She started walking about halfway through her 10th month and man oh man she is off. She prefers to walk everywhere and taking her anywhere is a challenge these days. Meet a another mommy and baby for coffee? We last no more than 5 minutes before she's all over the place and into everything. Want to take her in a store? she'd better be strapped in to a cart/stroller with something to entertain her or she is begging/wiggling/screaming to get down and walk. Early walkers have their pros and cons!

Dances. She prefers classic rock. The girl can really jam, especially in her car seat.

Teething. Oh the teething. Weeks of not sleeping well and finally a top front tooth arrived. One more to make its debut in a week or two. Poor little pumpkin doesn't handle it too well. She's pretty much a weeny.

Loves her sister. Porter (or Porty/Porter P as Emmerich likes to say) follows Em everywhere, looks at her in adoration and is so sad when we drop Em off at preschool.

Is finally starting to love books. I'll be honest. I was worried for a while. Em had a natural love of books that made this former teacher proud from very early on. Porter really could have cared less until the last month. She particularly likes touch/feel books and books about animals. I now catch her just looking through books in her room by herself. Ahh I can feel at ease now.

Loves to take things in and out. I let her go to town with the ziploc bag box on a regular basis. It never ceases to entertain.

Loves to be held from the hours of 4:30-6:30 pm. Everyday, without fail.

Eats well.  She was doing better before the teething began. But she likes most everything. We still fall back on baby food pouches in a bind and when traveling, but mostly its whatever we are eating. She won't touch a regular egg, but gobbles up farm eggs. Discerning taste buds I suppose. We started mixing her formula with whole milk last week. So far so good. I can't wait to get her off formula and onto milk. And to get rid of the bottles on my counter - but one day at a time.

Overall our little pumpkin has changed a ton in the last 2 months. She went from a happy all the time baby to a baby who can (and will) let us knowwhat she wants when she wants it. She loves peekaboo and to wave at people. She can melt you with her baby blues, and can shed crocodile tears like no one else. She pulls on her hair to soothe herself to sleep and loves snuggling with grey kitty. She loves her mama and gives the best snuggles. We are so lucky to call her our own. I can't wait to get to know her as she grows.

We are looking forward to a wonderful birthday celebration for our little sunshine this weekend.