Allie's First Birthday

Remember this little shrimp?  A year ago today, after a whole lot of drama, she came into our lives.  From  3 lbs. 11 oz. to 15 lbs. 1 oz.  Pretty good, don't you think?  She's finally on the chart!  (1.27 percentile).  She is healthy and happy (when she's not cranky).  Her ears are fine, she's gaining weight well, and she's walking all over the place.  Her communication and her cognitive skills are slightly behind for a 1 year old:  She hasn't said any real words and she doesn't understand a simple command (like "go get the ball") and she doesn't yet do things like pass a ball back and forth with someone or put toys in and out of a box.  So in that respect she's more like her gestational age, 10 1/2 months. 

Here she is when we brought her home:

Can you believe this is the same baby??

I didn't want any elaborate cake so I did these easy cupcake "balloons." 

She approved. 

She didn't get the whole 'unwrap the present' thing.  Fortunately her brothers were there to help her out.