one year

one year ago today, we welcome our sweet isabella joy elizabeth jochim into this world. we became momma and daddy to the most beautiful creation we had ever witnessed. what a wonderful day that was.

our baby girl is now 1 year old! she has grown lots and lots in her first year. (we will know just how much after her 1 year check up on thursday). and she has developed lots and lots in her first year. she learned to nurse. she learned to bottle feed. she learned to hold her head up. she learned to roll over. she learned what surgery is like. she learned to babble and jabber. she learned to scoot. she learned to crawl. she she learned (is still perfecting) to walk. she said and signed her first words. she learned to smile and give kisses. she learned to click her tongue and be a copy cat. :)

bella joy, your daddy and i are so in love with you, and we fall more in love with you each and every day. not a day goes by that we do not thank our God for you and for entrusting us to be your mommy and daddy. we can not wait to see what you learn in your second year of life. we can't wait to watch you run after lylah and teach elsie ann all of your tricks. we can't wait to see your reaction to your other new cousin and become a big sister. sweet baby girl, we will enjoy every moment we have with you.

bella joy, at 1 year old you love to eat. your favorite thing is grilled cheese, however, you are beginning to love other things too-spaghetti, quesadillas, more and more fruit, muffins, and even lasagna soup. you love to give kisses. you love love love to play. you could spend hours opening and flipping the pages of your books (which is nice considering just a few weeks ago, you were gnawing chunks out of them!) you love when your daddy gets home from work! you often hear the garage door open before momma does and you get so so so excited!! you love to crawl and you crawl so fast. you love to pull the dvds out of their baskets (even when momma and daddy tell you know 400 times!) you love to sneak into the bathroom and lift and drop the toilet seat (again, even when momma and daddy say no!) you love to copy your poppy and he loves when you cough back at him. you are such a smiley joy (most of the time) and we are so thankful for that. we love to watch you make new discoveries and to love us back.

**oh, did i say we can't wait to see you become a big sister? that's because we will (Lord willing) bring our second child home from the democratic republic of congo before bella joy's second birthday! :)