Isabel has turned one. A whole year, gone. A baby who is now... less of a baby. And I am beside myself, just amazed that this year has come and then gone again.
The whole day before Isabel's birthday I was thinking about her delivery - how she managed to take longer than her sister to come into the world. How she held out almost 24 hours just to be born on her father's birthday. How at the time I wasn't sure she was a blessing, but how now I couldn't imagine a moment with out her.
All day on the 13th I was watching the clock, and ever hour that came and went had a memory attached to it: 6am - when my water broke - a week early - hurrah! 12pm - when we packed up Abby to go a friends as we were heading to the hospital. 2pm - arrival at said hospital and still no contractions, no sign other than a leak that this little girl wanted out. 5 pm - walking and endless loop of the labor and recovery ward trying to entice Isabel out. 8pm - the doctor started the medicine to get my labor going. 1am - contracts starting with a suddenness that surprised both Josh and I. 3am - finally giving into an epidural and then getting some much needed rest. 6 am - the midwife is about to go off shift and wants to see this baby (she'd been with me all night) and encourages me to start pushing. 6:29am - Isabel arrives, howling and wiggling into the world. 6:30am - I suddenly remember it's Josh's birthday, too, and maybe he should get a 'happy birthday!'
One year later she's cruising around the furniture, crawling all over the place (and therefore getting into everything) and driving her sister crazy by stealing all her favorite toys. It has been an amazing journey from there to here. I forgot how much they can change in a year, or a month or a week. Now the fun begins: walking and talking - watching her grow into a sweet girl from the sweet baby I know. Bliss!
