Happy 1st Birthday, Sophia!

Oh yes, our youngest is one year old. She has had a busy year:

• Birth (this is probably a big one from her perspective): the first breath, the first cry, the first fight as the doctor tried to get fluid out of her lungs. We were rooting for Sophie: "Go, girl!"

In the OR a few minutes after birth

• Name: It took us a good week or so to finally decide on Sophia. Originally, we were thinking Carolina Grace (which Omi still wants), but Sophia won out.
• Trip to CA: Oh yes, she got to travel across four states while only four months old. This was for her great-grandfather's funeral, sadly, but it was wonderful to introduce her to many family members. On a positive note, she was also blessed while we were in Cali. (For members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, a baby blessing is for giving the infant a name on the records of the church and an official father's blessing, much like the blessing Isaac gave Jacob and Esau in the Old Testament of the Bible). Cool stuff.

Four months old and still on the floor - at Omi's house in CA
(Omi is German for grandma)

• Move into our house: We were living in Doug's mom's basement for about a year while we transitioned from South Carolina to Utah. A long year without much light, but that year allowed us to end up in a great house - and we were able to sell our house in South Carolina a whole month before we bought this one!
• Birthday: the crowing achievement for a little girl who has actually survived a year with four siblings. You made it, girl.

More pictures from Sophie's first year:

1 month old

Almost three months old and smiling

Five months old and rolling around

Ten months old and crawling and cruising

Eleven months old and everything goes in the mouth

Someone's having a birthday! She's been practicing standing alone all week...walking isn't too far away!

This has been a busy and difficult year. I am so grateful for this little one and all the joy she has added to our family. Happy birthday, Sophie!