Gemma is ONE!

It is hard to believe our little Gemma bean is one year old today!  It kind of snuck up on me, but here it is!

The start of her funny face

Full on adorable funny face.  I challenge you to be mad at this face. Impossible.

Sweet Gemma bean

Nice picture of the shirt Mama made late last night for her girl!

A contemplative moment.  Not usually a good sign...

So happy!

Daddy and his Gemma

She is so BIG!

Small smile

Mama with her girl

I'm done with this picture stuff

Hey!  What's this stuff?

The hair bow just kills me - the hair is really growing now!

Amelia loves to put on Gemma's shoes.  Sometimes Gemma is patient enough for this, others not so much.

Not a fan of the grass - that is our current trick to make her hold still

Curly haired girl!

I see this face hundreds of times a day.  It is her plotting/devising face.  Trouble usually follows...

Sweet girl!

Sweet, tired girl

The Happy Birthday Banner and cake!  So festive!

Gemma admiring our decorations

The 3 kiddos

A first taste

Mmmmmm

She wasn't a fan of me helping her with the spoon.  She wanted to use the spoon to launch the cake.

looking at birthday cards after a bath

William and Amelia took turns reading the cards to her- always trying to make things fair.

Gemma loves to eat anything I am eating.  Cereal from my bowl?  Yes, please.  Mashed potatoes?  Scoop 'em faster lady.  Cake?  MORE!  NOW!  But, neatly diced banana on her tray?  No thanks.  It ends up squished in her hair, in her clothes or pitched very quickly to the floor.  We are working hard at getting away from baby food, which has been challenging with how busy the last few weeks have been.  I'm hoping to focus more on this when I am off for the summer after this next week.  She loves most purees and eats them with gusto.  She adores the baby food in a pouch - she will shed real tears when the pouch is empty.  Her current mode of operation is to throw most finger food on the floor and screech for my food.  Then, when she is cleaned up after the meal, she scavengers herself another meal off of the floor.  So, I guess she does eat it.  Just not when I am trying to eat.

Sleep has suddenly become much easier and without the tough love I was anticipating (watch.  Now tonight there will be a huge backslide).  She has consistently slept through the night for the last 6 weeks and it has been wonderful.  I find myself remembering more and have a newfound well of patience.  Amazing what a little shut eye can do for this Mama.

Gemma's favorite things (in no particular order):
1. Mama - she loves her mama, especially around new people
2. William- William can get her to make the biggest baby belly laughs of all time, just by walking into a room.  If he makes faces or attempts to be funny?  She cannot even stand on her two feet because she is laughing so hard.
3. Amelia- she always want to be with Amelia so when the chance to pull her long hair presents itself, she is prepared.  Not one to miss her chance, our Gemma.
4. John's work badge.  Man she loves that thing.  She will stand at John's feet and thrust herself up on her tippy toes with her hands outreached to show she wants to be held.  Because she wants to yank/examine/chew/hold the work badge.  (she also loves daddy very much.  Probably even more than the badge).
5.  books- in the last 3 weeks, Gemma has discovered that she loves being read to.  She loves to turn the pages as you read and point at pictures. She is so happy and excited when she comes toddling towards us with a book.  She settles right into our laps for some good reading time.
6. Bath time.  When that water starts, Gemma will come a running and if you don't watch her, she will launch herself head first into the tub.  I won't disclose whether or not that has acutally happened and how many times.
7.  Dancing- turn any type of music on and Gemma will start with her signature dance move the "Gemma Bounce" .  It is adorable!
8.  Making faces.  For months now, Gemma has had this knack for observing the face someone is making (intentional or not) and then mimicking it back to them.  She frequently has us in stitches at the dinner table with her interpretations of the different looks she can recreate.  Of course, our uproarious laughter does nothing but encourage her.  The finest class clown in training our family has seen to date.
9. Climbing.  Now that the walking/running skills have been mastered almost totally, Gemma has moved on to climbing. On everything.  Couches, fireplaces, bookshelves, anything that looks like it can be climbed she will work on.
10. Hats.  Or anything else she can wear on her head in hat fashion.
11.  The vacuum.  Or maybe she hates it.  We can't tell.  She cries when it is on if you aren't holding her the minute it turns on.  However, she cries if you are holding her and someone else is vacuuming.  She was to be right where the noise is, in someone's arms.