A Little Moore: 12 Month Top Ten

So, I've been avoiding this post for two reasons:
1: I wanted to wait until her 12 month appointment
2: I.am.in.denial. Ruthie is a year, and I'm supposed to be more put together than this! It seems that this post should be filled with a detailed and touching narration of her birth story (which it should) along with a top 10 list, all showing how much she means to us. And, to be honest, I fear I am going to let this post down, whatever that means. So...Here goes.

Ruthie Anne, my little girl, you are one year, and I can NOT believe it has been a year since you came into this world. The months leading up to your birth were stressful, not because of anything you did, my little sweet pea, but because we lived in constant fear that you wouldn't have the perfect start to your life we always imagined for you. One thing those months taught me is that anything, in God's timing, is perfect. It may not be easy, it may be an emotional roller coaster filled with doubt, anger, frustration, but these emotions are all human reactions to God's sovereign plan. Eventually, I let go, stopped blaming myself for the preterm labor, and trusted the doctors (which is MUCH harder than I ever imagined,) and most of all, trusted my God. And guess what? You are perfectly perfect, and perfectly our little girl. Not because of anything we did, but DESPITE everything we did. You, my love, are a picture of grace, hence your middle name, which means "Grace."
So, here is your birthday story:
Sunday, January 31: I go off niphedipine (the medicine that held you in.)
Monday, February 1: Felt less contractions than the months leading up...started to feel like the bed rest was all for nothing.
Tuesday, February 2: Woke up with contractions 5 minutes apart. Called your auntie Oufu, she told me to go straight to the hospital. But, they didn't hurt, so I went to work looking after the girls you would soon grow to love. I started to get more uncomfortable throughout the day, but nothing I hadn't felt all throughout the pregnancy. That night, I left work to go babysit another precious little one (who's mommy was due with a little one days after your due date.) On the way, blinded by the stress of whether or not I should go straight to the hospital, or babysit, I ran smack dab into a pick up truck. I got out of the car, pregnant and crying (what I sight I must have been.) The amazingly nice lady probably took one look at me and thought, "Nope, not dealing with this lady!" She told me everything was fine, and I went on to babysit (with a pit stop to McDonalds, first.) I got home that night around 10 pm. We stayed up to watch TV to see what would happen. 11pm: we went to the hospital. They admitted us, despite being pretty early in labor since you were still technically premature.
Wednesday, February 3: 8 am: I am officially in active labor, water is broken, and Daddy went home to let the dog out. Before he got back, I had an epidural.
11:13 am: After a pretty easy labor, I hear your sweet little cry. They put your wriggly body on my chest, and it was the most incredible experience of my life.

An old school nurse was against the idea of you going straight to my chest, but I never for a moment wanted it differently: for me to be the first one to hold you, to inspect you right away, and for me to be the one to warm you, and to know that you were perfectly perfect. I remember looking at you thinking, "I didn't think she was going to be THIS beautiful." You blew all my expectations out of the water. You continue to do so, my little sweet.

One year later, here is what you did this past month!

Top 10 list:

10. First night away from mommy! Actually, make that 5 nights.

9. You are not walking, but you finally enjoy walking while holding our hands. It's a step in the right direction!

8. We joined MOPS, and you are officially a Moppet! So far, you love it.

7. Self awareness!!! You want to know how I know? You look in the mirror to take your bow off. Little booger. But, to mommy, this developmental stage is a good one! (I wasn't as bad as my former adviser, Professor Moore, who literally put dots on his kids heads to see when they established this.)

6. Your new (and amazing) favorite thing? Books! That's all you want, as soon as you wake up, until I can distract you. You especially like board books that are interactive.

5. You give kisses when we ask. It's more like gnawing on our faces, but they are perfect!

4. You understand commands. I ask you to stop touching something, you through a fit, but still stop. If you pick up the dog's toy, we say "give it to Pumpkin." You crawl over and hand it to her. Such a good sister!

3. Games, games, games. You love to play games. Ex; You hand us a ball, we roll it to you, you try to roll it back, and end up handing it back. Over and over and over

2. More signing! "More, all done, eat." Now, if only you could get down "please," and "Thank you."

1. You are talking up a storm. Whether copying us like a little mocking bird or saying the words in proper manner, you are a Chatty Cathy. I usually don't like to admit that your are beyond the curve, but when your pediatrician is amazed because you talked up a storm in his office (for example, you would say "bear?" to whinny the pooh,) I think I can admit it without sounding too obnoxious, right? One thing I can admit without regret is that you get it honestly. With your daddy's brains and your mommy's gregariousness, it was written in the stars, love.

I still can't believe you are one, little girl. But, I am loving every bit of it. You are amazing.

Weight: 20.8 lbs - 42nd percentile (up from 25th!)

Height: 28.75 in - 33rd percentile (up from 15th!)