Happy Birthday Eisley!

Happy Birthday baby girl! A year ago today I was sitting at my desk, preparing to leave for a press conference and noticing tiny contractions. I'd had my membranes stripped around 9 a.m. and I didn't think it would work to start my labor--but it did! I wasn't totally prepared for you to come but at the same time I was so anxious to meet you. So I stood at the press conference and parked far away and did all I could to encourage you to come.
That evening we went to eat at Smashburger and I ate a TON even though I was clearly contracting by then.
Five hours later I held you in my arms. It was a super quick, super easy labor. Just three pushes. You began breastfeeding right away like a champ and you've always been a great sleeper too.

At a year old you're still smily and funny. You get cuter every day as you grow into your big blue eyes. Your eyes are bluer than Kaybree's, closer to your dad's color, but I feel like the rest of you is more me. You're still perfectly chubby, just the right size.
You love screaming. I don't mean angry screaming (though you excel at that too when necessary) but I mean happy screaming. You scream out loud when you're excited and it's so funny. If someone copies your happy scream it gives you a great big smile and you'll go back and forth with quick little screams as long as that person keeps doing it back.
You have the cutest deep belly laugh. Tickling you gets the best laugh out of you and your dad is the best tickler ever.
You don't say too many words yet but you're good at copying sounds. You say "dada" really well and you get very excited to say it whenever you see your Daddy. You know he loves to hear it! you also say "Hi" really well and you love when people say hi back. You say "mama" when you're a little cranky and want me but you don't say it with the same excitement that you do dada. On Sunday you also said "Stryker" when you saw him so that was kind of funny.
I'm your all-time favorite person but you love others too. Lexis is probably next in line followed closely by all your Grandmas. All of them. You love Grandmas. Brittany and Shaunelle are also favorites. Brittany swears you're getting close to saying her name. I haven't heard it yet! You love playing with Daddy and if I'm out of the room you two have a blast but if I'm in the room I MUST hold you.
You drive me crazy because you refuse to pull yourself up on anything or even crawl like a normal baby. You're comfortable with your army crawl and you enjoy being held everywhere you go. You stand perfectly fine in my lap so I know it's not that you're not strong enough but every time I try to get you to hold onto just my hands and walk or the side of some furniture you SCREAM like it's killing you. Guess you just plan on taking your time!

We had a party for you on Saturday. Just pizza and donuts at the park. It was simple but the kids had fun playing together. I never held you during the party because you were constantly being passed around. You are so loved!