Red is One!

Well friends we survived.  Last month my littlest little turned one.  Red made it through her first year of life.  Which is always the most perilous for as all.  As my kids get older I realize more and more how little we really know them at one.  Parts of their personalities are emerging, but there is so much more there waiting to be revealed.  It gets harder to pin down who exactly Red is, because I’ve realized that after twelve months what I know is just the tip of the iceberg.  But I’ll try anyway.

She is funny and feisty.  She thinks fart noises are hysterical and watch out when she’s mad.  That temper doesn’t appear to be going anywhere.  But then she smiles and the whole world melts.

Until recently Daddy was pretty much only a second thought.  But in February and March I found myself traveling quite a lot, which gave her quite a lot of time with Tommy.  Once she realized he also provided food, and the stuff he gave her was pretty tasty (and usually forbidden) she jumped right on that train.  Now she shakes her whole body with excitement when he comes home and scrambles to be the first in his arms.  They’ve become quite the duo, those two.

She remains desperate to be a part of the mix with her two older siblings.  She wants to keep up, do what they do, play where they play.  I’ve long felt her whole life would improve once she started walking and I’m starting to see hints of it.  After a quick bout in the “drunken sailor” stage, (where she wove and stumbled, falling after a handful of steps) she’s now a full on walker.  The look of pride on her face is priceless.  She’s been watching this two-legged movement her whole life and finally, she’s in the club. 

In the last few months Tommy has started including her in the family wrestling matches.  He and the kids roll around on the floor like puppies, each of the kids desperately trying to “attack” Daddy.  I love watching Red in the mix.  From her thrilled expression, to her enthusiastic head bumps, to her relentlessness in the ring, this girl loves her life when she’s rolling around with the big kids.  She’s taken to trying to get me to wrestle, bumping her head against mine and pushing me when we find ourselves down on the floor together. 

If I had to predict I’d say Lou will be determined and easy going, a difficult combination.  She knows what she wants, wants it with intensity and does not give up until she gets it.  But there is a relaxed quality about her the rest of the time. 

And her smile man.  It’s the best.  She doesn’t turn on the charm like her sister, but she charms without intention.  It’s a subtle difference, but it’s there. 

All, particularly Monster, adore her.  Toots has taken to her recently too, the two of them playing more games and giggling together more often.  I love the way she fits right into our chaos and I am so curious to see who she continues to become.  She’s going to surprise us, this one. 

Happy (belated) first birthday Red!!


again, these beautiful photos are courtesy of the ever talented Mary at Where's the zoom.  She rocks.