Only one month of babyhood left...

My little Owl is 11 months old today.  It is so hard to believe that it has been almost a whole year since, like a little whirlwind, she was born after only four hours of labor.  She came into this world already an old soul, with wide eyes and a serious little expression on her face.  She was born preferring to be held upright and stay up late like the grown-ups.  She was born holding her head up, ready to take on this big world.  If she could have hit the ground running, she would have.

It is hard to believe how much a baby can change in a mere 11 months.  It is like a lifetime of change and growth.  She went from the little 8 pound bundle we brought home from the hospital in the snow to this kid that I am holding as I type.  She runs, and says words, and has preferences.  She gets into trouble, she never takes a nap, and she loves Piper Penelope more than anything in the world.

When she was born everyone kept telling me, “Take a a ton of pictures.  It goes by so fast.”  Since she was born, I have taken around 25,000 pictures.  Seriously.  And even with 25,000+ pictures taken, time has still flown.

On the 7^th of each of these 11 months, we have taken a special picture – Hoot with a sign telling how many months old she was on that day. When I came up with this plan, I figured that as she grew I would end up with 12 of these little gems and I look at all of them together and see how much she has changed. 

Can you believe that she is even the same kid? As you can see, taking these pictures got harder as she got older and busier - you should see some of the out takes. LOL I was taking the latest one this morning and I realized that there would only be one left after this, to be taken in a month, on the morning of my baby’s first birthday.  I felt a little sad.   I am trying not to think about it now.  For today, she is still a baby, 11 months old and thriving. 

I can honestly tell you that this has been the most amazing 11 months of my life.  Somehow the hardest 11 months have managed to also be the best. Hayden has given me a higher purpose, a reason to be the woman I want her to become.  Being a mom has made my life so whole.  On the morning that she was born, I looked at her and saw nothing but promise in my little girl’s big blue eyes.  I gave her life – and, little did I know, she did the same for me. 

Happy 11 months, Hayden Paisley.  Your mama loves you. :)