Birthday Bash

Veda had a wonderful birthday party this past Saturday.  Thanks to having just recently received Christmas presents, attending her cousin's birthday party only one week earlier, and having an older sister to show her how it's done, she was eager to dive into her presents!  We had them stacked up and she kept crawling over there to pick at them.

Auntie Stephie made her cake.  We love Auntie Stephie because she always comes up with the cutest cake designs.  This was the first cake she made up completely on her own, no ideas from any internet sources for this one!  Isn't it adorable?

Her big sister was taking a late nap, and it was kind of nice.  Veda got to open her presents by herself and could see what everything was without having an older sister swooping in to take it away from her!  And she got some great presents (just ask her!):

She really likes having her very own Babydoll (like Sylvia's, Babydoll came from Oma and Opa).  Tonight when we put her to bed, we placed Babydoll in her crib with her.  She lifted her head, saw her Babydoll, grabbed her and hugged her tight.  She got an Elmo puppet yesterday from her Grandma and Grumpy, and I was surprised by how excited she was to see that she got an Elmo.  But I guess I shouldn't be.  Her sister has a couple of Elmos, and sibling rivalry is already in full force!

And let's not forget about eating the cake!  She was very intrigued by her cake and grabbed some frosting while we sang happy birthday.  After her piece was cut and put on her tray she attempted to fool us with some initial daintiness but that didn't last long!

Today was her 12 month wellness check.  She looks great!  She weighed 18lbs. and 13oz. (15th percentile) and was 29" long (around the 50th percentile).  The only current concern, albeit a minor one, is how sensitive her skin is.  She seems to react to everything she touches.  I cut tags from her clothes, wash laundry with Dreft, and now we are hunting down a lotion her doctor suggested using called California Baby.  Despite all of this, she still reacts when we wipe her bottom with a wet wipe, always has little bumps when buttons/snaps come in contact with her skin, and often she will have a random rash that I cannot even begin to guess at what caused it.  But if this is our largest worry, then I am happy to continue playing the allergy guessing game!

And now her Daddy would like to write a word . . .

I just wanted to write a post-happy birthday post for Veda.  She's been such a fun big little girl to get to know.  Lately she's been charging at me when I get home, which is lots and lots of fun.  She still just crawls but usually when I come through the door she looks up, gives her little squeal/growl and comes crawling at me at top speed.  I love watching her explore her world, play (and fight) with her sister, and begin to get into trouble.  I'm really lucky that I get to be her daddy.  Happy birthday lovebug, I love you bunches and bunches and bunches