Tales of the Coffeeholic Wifey: My Baby is nearly a Toddler.

I am feeling nostalgic and emotional and excited and happy and in a blog-writing mood. Be prepared for a LONG blog filled with TOO MANY pictures, because that's how I roll!

As I mentioned before, Caroline is turning ONE on Monday. We have known her for almost a YEAR. Of course, we have "known" her for longer than that... she was the little glow worm on my first ultrasound, the tiny thing on my second ultrasound that waved her hands in the air like she just didn't care, the baby in my tummy that had constant hiccups, and the owner of the tiny foot that found a permanent position visibly poking the right side of my tummy throughout the last month of pregnancy. She has been a perfect baby since before she was born. She not only waited until after our Thanksgiving feast to make an appearance, she listened to her daddy and waited until after the FSU game the following Saturday to make her appearance. Within two hours of the game she was like, "welp, I guess I'm good to go now."

She even waited until after I had a chance to run into the bathtub before making my water break (which I'm sure wasn't her choice at all, but truly appreciated). I'll never forget standing in that tub, blind as a bat because I left my glasses on the nightstand, asking Josh if the splashing I heard was my water breaking. He said "yes, we're having a baby" and I have never felt so excited, panicked, happy, and nervous in my entire life. I'll never forget shaking as we got ready, wondering when the contractions would start (and they soon started, and I wondered why I was ever in a hurry for them, ouch). I sat on a towel on the way to the hospital because HOLY COW they never tell you how much water comes out, but I was like the freaking Niagra Falls... I think I lost twenty pounds on the way to the hospital. I even had to walk into triage with my towel around my waist because, yep, still leaking EVERYWHERE.

Being in labor was another stream of multiple emotions - pain, excitement, nervousness, impatience, etc. This roller coaster of emotions included back labor, an epidural that worked on only half of my body (stupid scoliosis), and Caroline being pulled out via suction cup. It may not have been the most graceful way to enter the world, but we were SO EXCITED she was here and HEALTHY! Holding her was the best feeling in the world, seeing Josh's face was the best thing in the world, being an official family of three (well, seven if you count the furry members) was THE BEST.

Admittedly, the first few weeks were tough, yet amazing. The tough part was undoubtedly the breastfeeding. Moms-to-be, future-moms-to-be, anyone with boobs: prepare your nipples because they're in for a rough ride! I think every tear I shed in those first couple weeks had to do with the pain I was in. I don't know what I would have done without the support of my mom, Josh, and the almighty breast-pump that first week. The amazing part: EVERYTHING ELSE. I'm not sure that love at first sight truly exists between men and women, but it certainly exists between a parent and a baby. I had never held a baby until they threw her on my chest, and the maternal instinct kicked in that second. I love my little Caroline sooo much I miss her when she's sleeping two feet away. It's an amazing love.

Holy moly, I guess I was a lot more nostalgic and emotional than I thought; I didn't intend to recount that much of the past, but I'm leaving it there. It just goes to show how unforgettable it all is; I remember every small detail like it was yesterday, when in reality it was all around a year ago. Moving on to the present...

This first year with Caroline has been absolutely wonderful. I cannot believe she has already been around for an entire year, but at the same time I feel like we have known her forever and I cannot imagine what life was ever like without her. I remember when we used to be excited when she would acknowledge our presence, and now she won't leave us alone. I remember when we used to be excited that she could hold her head up for more than 5 seconds, and now she's running around the house like the wild child she is. I remember when we were excited when she started cooing, and now she can say mama and dada, has almost perfected the word "dog," and just this morning pointed at Parker and said, "tat." It is amazing how much a baby changes, learns, and accomplishes in their first year.

Caroline is strong, healthy, slightly enormous, extremely smart, and PERFECT. She loves to clap, dances with her daycare friends, gives the best hugs, climbs into our laps to read a book, has actually learned to properly pet the dogs and cats, walks to Josh saying "dada" and walks to me saying "mama," laughs at odd things just like her mommy, closes doors for us (I have almost gotten closed in the pantry many times), throws pancakes at the dogs, makes sure we have bath toys during our showers by throwing them in the tub for us, "sings" for me in the back of the car, carries her "purse" (easter basket) around the house and puts toys in it, waves at other children but rarely adults, plays peekaboo, holds our hands and walks us around the house, hides in corners waiting for us to come attack her with tickles, and is all around just the sweetest little girl in the world. Writing all of that and realizing how much she can actually do now makes me realize that she actually is a toddler now, and not a baby. HOLY EMOTIONS, BATMAN.

My babbling is complete, and I will now flood this post with some of my favorite pictures of my sweet little Caroline Quinn. Enjoy the trip down memory lane.

Our perfect first moments as a family.