It's been a long time since I last posted an update and I apologize to those of you who have been patiently waiting for one. (Thanks for being patient!) Hannah has been busy growing and learning new things since the last update.
Hannah turned one year old on November 9th and we had a small birthday party at our house to celebrate. She did great with all of the people and all of the commotion. I made her a little smash cake that was free of most of the crazy additives and preservatives that I would have purchased from a bakery. It didn't end up making much of a difference, though, because she wasn't very interested in eating it or touching it. Ha. But that's okay!
In the past month (since her birthday), she has gotten physically stronger. She has mastered getting into a sitting position from the laying position. She's *THIS CLOSE* to crawling - she made it forward about two inches today but she still hasn't gotten going. She LOVES to stand up, though, and whenever someone is around to help balance her, she likes to practice standing. She has learned to sit down from the standing position (when holding onto furniture) without help and she is getting more confident--she'll let go of the furniture with one hand to grab something or just to move her hand. It won't be much longer and we'll have a little mover. I am excited and terrified! :)
She's learning lots of fun social things, too. She knows to wave hello and bye bye. She does touchdown and high five. She's waving bye bye to the baby in the mirror in the car (when I take her out of her car seat, she waves bye bye to her reflection). She knows what words we say mean and will obey some commands (sit down, stand up, lay down, etc.). We have also been doing baby sign language with her for a long time and this past weekend, she finally started signing "more". That's the only sign she'll do right now, but when she wants more, she does it with vigor. Ha. She also loves to shop! If we have to be cooped up in the house all day, she gets pretty bored and irritable, but the second we put her in the car, she'll "talk" to herself and play in the car seat. She loves sitting in the front of a cart and shopping at the grocery store or clothing stores. She loves to "chatter" to strangers.
She's getting two more top teeth. One has already broken the gum and the other isn't far behind. They're the two to the sides of her two front teeth.
She's getting so big! She's still pretty little compared to the national average, but I think of her more as a "big girl" now instead of a baby. Today was her original due date, so in preemie terms, today is her one year (adjusted) birthday. It's hard to believe how much she's grown and learned over the past year. We adore her and her fun and loving spirit. Here's some pics and videos since our last update. Enjoy!
The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and full of faithful love. He will not always accuse [us] or be angry forever. He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve or repaid us according to our offenses. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His faithful love toward those who fear Him.
