One year ago on April 9th, we were blessed with the most amazing little girl. You came into this world at 8:11pm with your big blue eyes open wide already taking in your surroundings.
April 9, 2010
It was the best day of my life. My sweet sweet girl who I waited so long for was here. Never could I have imagined just how special a little girl you'd be. And now here we are...12 months....1 year later. I am blown away at just how wonderful the past year has been with you in our lives.
April 9, 2011
Watching you experience things for the first time is pretty amazing. The smallest things make you giggle, laugh, and gasp in awe. You've shown me just how wonderful those small things are; you remind me to not take life for granted, to take time to giggle, laugh, and gasp in awe.
McKenna Jo, you make life better.
You are so observant and inquisitive. You are a quick learner, we usually only have to show you how to do something one time and then you are able to do it. You are also able to figure things out on your own just by using your observant nature, and because of this, you can be pretty sneaky! You like to get into things you're not supposed to, shaking your head no the whole time giggling.
You are still wearing 9 month clothes, but you'll soon be in 12 months, 9 month clothes are just beginning to get a little snug. You're wearing size 3 diapers and size 3 shoes. You're definitely still our little peanut!
You are still wearing 9 month clothes, but you'll soon be in 12 months, 9 month clothes are just beginning to get a little snug. You're wearing size 3 diapers and size 3 shoes. You're definitely still our little peanut!
You haven't started walking full time just yet, but you've taken tons of steps! You'll stand up on your own and take a couple of steps and then you'll sit down and crawl. The most you've taken is 9 steps at one time. You just don't seem to really want to do it yet, at this point, crawling is working out pretty well for you! But, everyday you seem to try to walk more and more, so we're thinking it may happen soon! 
We're working on getting rid of bottles. The only bottle you're still drinking is your morning bottle when you get up. We tried to get rid of it this week, but you wouldn't have it. It's hard for you because you see Benny drinking his bottles. Funny because before Benny was born you could have cared less about drinking from your bottle. We have switched you to milk and you love it, just as much as Daddy loves milk! (Mommy says, YUCK!) You also love drinking from your sippy cup, the one with the straw, of course! You're such a big girl.
You are awesome at going up and down the stairs. Grandma & Grandpa Witkowski taught you how to go down the stairs on your own and you were a quick learner. We all figured that if you're going to love going up the stairs so much, you're going to have to learn how to get down on your own! We, of course, don't let you do it on your own, someone is always right there with you. Although on a couple of occasions, we have found you upstairs or half way down. We have a gate at the bottom of the stairs and somehow you seem to know when it's moved! That's scary for Mommy!
Your favorite place in our house is the basement. Daddy takes you down there every night when he gets home from work. You love to jump on the couch. Another party of your routine when Daddy gets home from work is to play in Benny's crib. Daddy will ask you where the soccer ball is and you find it on the blanket right away! You can also find it on bumper and on the sheets. You are just so smart!
You got so many nice toys for your first birthday that we had to move them down to the basement. We ran out of room in the living room! We spend a lot of time down there during the day playing. You love your new play door, your sportstastic slide, and crawling through your tunnel. Trippy loves the basement too, so we spend a lot of time watching her run around like a crazy girl. (Thanks Uncle Brad!)
You still love your puppy the most of all of your toys. Puppy goes everywhere with you. Puppy goes to bed with you every night and then when we go to get you out of your crib, Puppy is the first thing you hand to us. Ahhhh puppy!
You became a big sister this month! You have loved being the big sister. You give your brother squishey's and Ahhh! every chance you get. When he is crying you go over to him and you try to hand him his binkie or just give him some ahhh! You also try to help me feed him his bottle. When I'm changing him you'll pull wipes out of the case for me, but I don't usually need 15 wipes so we always have to put some back! You sure are a good helper!
Your favorite word is AH!...you say it ALL the time. Ah! means lots of things...take me there, get me that, I want that snack, the microwave is done, Trippy is bothering me, I love Trippy, I'm done, I want more, Ben!, I love you!...yeah actually you use Ah! for everything... We've worked on identifying body parts. You can now find your nose and your belly! You can also find them on puppy and on anyone who asks you.
sitting in Mommy's chair from when she was little
I've just had 12 of the most wonderful months of my life. Life couldn't get any better...could it?
Just know you are the most perfect little girl in the whole world.
You love to try anything and everything we're eating. You're way more interested in what we're eating, even if you're eating the same thing and it's in front of you already. You'd rather have ours right off of our fork! Your favorite foods right now are mandarin oranges, mac and cheese, mini pancakes, Daddy's waffles, string cheese, and your special cookies. Lately when we feed you yogurt or anything that requires a spoon to eat it we have to use 2 spoons. You like to feed yourself with one of them and then we use the other to feed you and keep it moving. You'll even dip your spoon into the dish to get more, or you'll hand it back to us to get more. We can't yet just let you do it on your own because you'll pick up the bowl and dump it. You still love to throw bits of food down for Trippy, which usually signals that you're done eating....it drives me crazy...we're working VERY hard on the sign for 'all done'!
You are awesome at going up and down the stairs. Grandma & Grandpa Witkowski taught you how to go down the stairs on your own and you were a quick learner. We all figured that if you're going to love going up the stairs so much, you're going to have to learn how to get down on your own! We, of course, don't let you do it on your own, someone is always right there with you. Although on a couple of occasions, we have found you upstairs or half way down. We have a gate at the bottom of the stairs and somehow you seem to know when it's moved! That's scary for Mommy! Your favorite place in our house is the basement. Daddy takes you down there every night when he gets home from work. You love to jump on the couch. Another party of your routine when Daddy gets home from work is to play in Benny's crib. Daddy will ask you where the soccer ball is and you find it on the blanket right away! You can also find it on bumper and on the sheets. You are just so smart! You got so many nice toys for your first birthday that we had to move them down to the basement. We ran out of room in the living room! We spend a lot of time down there during the day playing. You love your new play door, your sportstastic slide, and crawling through your tunnel. Trippy loves the basement too, so we spend a lot of time watching her run around like a crazy girl. (Thanks Uncle Brad!) You still love your puppy the most of all of your toys. Puppy goes everywhere with you. Puppy goes to bed with you every night and then when we go to get you out of your crib, Puppy is the first thing you hand to us. Ahhhh puppy! You became a big sister this month! You have loved being the big sister. You give your brother squishey's and Ahhh! every chance you get. When he is crying you go over to him and you try to hand him his binkie or just give him some ahhh! You also try to help me feed him his bottle. When I'm changing him you'll pull wipes out of the case for me, but I don't usually need 15 wipes so we always have to put some back! You sure are a good helper! Your favorite word is AH!...you say it ALL the time. Ah! means lots of things...take me there, get me that, I want that snack, the microwave is done, Trippy is bothering me, I love Trippy, I'm done, I want more, Ben!, I love you!...yeah actually you use Ah! for everything... We've worked on identifying body parts. You can now find your nose and your belly! You can also find them on puppy and on anyone who asks you. sitting in Mommy's chair from when she was little 
I've just had 12 of the most wonderful months of my life. Life couldn't get any better...could it?Just know you are the most perfect little girl in the whole world.
I love you sweet girl.
Love, Mommy
Benny & Avery waiting patiently...kind of 
I want to swing too!!! 
You were one lucky boy because you got to meet so many people at McKenna's birthday party. You got lots of snuggles and squishy's from friends and family and you loved every minute of it. 
Oh, my sweet boy, how I am loving every second of every minute of every hour of every day with you. I just love you so much.
We are so impressed with the strength you have in your neck already. When you are awake, you look around all over the place, usually trying to find out where that silly sister and puppy of yours is and what they're doing! When you're laying on our chest you stretch your neck and look up at our faces. It is pretty quite amazing at 2 weeks old! We are so proud of you! 
Daddy was very excited to share the opening day of baseball this week with you! Here you are in Cardinals gear! Thank you Tucker Bea for letting me borrow your shirt! Uncle Brad is sneaking in the Cubby "C". 
Of course, we've spent a lot of time with our best friends! It sure will be fun to watch you & Brayden grow up together! 
3 different stages of baby: 
