My baby turned one today. She awoke in soft white pajamas with blue owls, clutching her green silk blanket square, sweaty tendrils upon her head and an eight-tooth grin that stretched from ear to ear. It's difficult to capture her sweetness, her radiant smile, her heavy panting breaths and snorts...but I'll try and paint a picture, for you...but mainly one day for...of my girl, on this day she made it all the way around the sun.
A year and a day ago, I attended the second birthday of sweet Noah. I was 38 weeks pregnant. It was hot. I ate a ton of sugar. That night at 12:30am, what I thought was indigestion around turned into the first morning holding my new daughter. Oh, the bliss of greeting those first breaks of light with her in my arms.
Fast forward a year. She still has us greeting sunrises...but sleeps solidly most nights around 6:30pm. Waking just once to briefly nurse between 3am-5am. She is a morning girl...like her Mama. All smiles and chirps and wanting breakfast. She eats with splendid relish. Gobbling up scrambled eggs with cheese, yogurt, and oatmeal with raisins. If Nora doesn't finish her eggs before Soraya, then Soraya screams and motions that she wants those eggs, too. She inhales water as if it's the last drip she'll ever sip. She enjoys beans and rice (like her big sister). And my, oh my, does she like meat. She growls and stretches our her hand and wiggles her feet when she sees meat. After being a vegetarian (prior to dating Daniel) for 17 years, I never imagined I'd have a child that ate ANY meat, let alone growled at me for a chicken leg.
Her one and only phrase is "Hi, Dada." It melts her dad's heart every time. There's a special squeal for Max and Sophie, a screech for any dogs, and a "Wo!" with pointed finger to the sky at any sounds of airplanes. Her chubby knees can zoom across the room in lighting speed. She grasps the edges of a table or sofa and cruises around...letting go for a few seconds to stand alone.
When playing with Nora, she has a dinosaur roar that cracks us up. And bangs the tambourine with prowess. She is mesmerized by keys and remote controls and iphones, if you're desperate to distract her...but asking for them back will be a loud and tearful affair.
Her body is resilient to older sibling rough-housing. Nearly every morning, Nora jumps into her crib with her. Knocking her down "accidentally" and wrestling with her against the bars. There's rarely any complaints as her face bounces upon the mattress and she stands again to giggle.
We've had some special time these past two weeks, as Nora has started a new preschool. These mornings have become lazy, slow, musical and nap-filled. Our afternoons have been sprinkled with splash pads, drumming, library visits, Costco samples and bike rides. We're finding our solo groove these two days a week.
Soraya has nicknames of Suri, Suri Suri and Suri Sue. Nora calls her Suri Bury.
A smile is her standard...but a furrowed brow with tilted thumb sucking happens on occasion. This girl loves her thumb. Only her right. Always tilted. Brow knitted.
When a song plays of particular delight, her feet twitch and her arms shoot up into the air and she screeches to be picked up. She beams as you spin or sway or bob to the tune. Her fingers pointing out any lights with a loud, "Wo!" or "Oh!"
She seems passionately in love with her sister, for now. Laughing and smacking and patting her Nora throughout the day. But let Nora try and grab a toy, or snatch her Schnuzzle Decke (green cuddle blanket)...and the little firecracker is revealed. I've been grateful to see this because dear Ms. Nora has a strong and vibrant will...which is nicely balanced by her sister's equal ferocity to be assertive of both her space and property.
One thing I hope I never forget is the way her warm caramel body snuggles into mine. Always burying her forehead into my chest, knees jerking, nuzzling in for warmth, love, and safety. She's a cuddler...since day one. She can wake up in the morning, join us in our bed, and just melt into my body, sucking her thumb, watching the morning light paint the sky, observing Nora doing backflips and motor-mouthing a sordid tale...simply wide-eyed, heavy-breathing and still.
So, here's to your first trip around the sun, Suri...it's been a beautiful year. You are so very loved.
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