Maci is 1!!

OH! How I love thee, let me count the ways... I love:

• your curiosity
• your beautiful eyes that look like brown and green tie die

• the way you dance to NSYNC in the car and get your brother to do it, too
• the way you look at me before you crawl away really REALLY fast when you've done something wrong

• the way you share with your brother (most of the time)
• the way you point at anything and everything to get me to tell you what it is and if you can touch it/put it in your mouth

• the way you would rather have whatever I'm eating or Eli's drinking rather than your own
• the way you give Eli your purple gold fish in exchange for his green ones
• your sign for milk - it's borderline indecent, but you don't know that
• your happy noise when you know it's bath time

• the way you scrunch up your nose and snort when I ask you where your nose is instead of just pointing to it like you would your eyes or belly button
• how you will take more than 2 consecutive steps ONLY if I'm singing the "walking, walking, maci is a walkin" song
• how you hug my neck when I'm taking you into your room to go "nite, nite"
• the way you poke your lip out 10 feet when you're sad (or theatrical)
• the sound of your sweet little girl voice when you're busy playing and talking to no one in particular (well, pretty much any time your mouth is empty...)

• the way you hold Eli's hand when we pray at lunch
• the way you love everyone and anyone who will talk and play with you
• how you play quietly in your crib when you wake up (or occasionally for 2 hours when you think you don't need a nap...like right now)
• the way you want to try anything your brother is doing

I love the way you giggle, I love the way you dance, I love the way you kiss with your mouth wide open. I love the way you know your schedule so well that you will crawl to the bathroom or kitchen or play room as if you're leading the way. I love that your heart is already filled with such love and joy and that you are willing to take correction. I love that you bark, a little girly bark when you see Cali or another puppy (real or in a book/movie). I love that you say "hi" and "bye, bye" to people on the phone. I love how you wave to yourself instead of the person that's leaving. I love how you lay on your tummy and kick your feet just to hear the noise it makes on the wood floor. I love waking up to you and your brother every single day and I can't imagine my life without my Maci girl. I love that you love me and I love that I get to be your mommy.