The big #1

I can't believe that Erika turned one last Thursday! She is so ridiculously cute, I can't believe it! An update of what she is up to:
-Jabbers like crazy and laughs at herself all day long.
-Can say a lot of the animals names, doll, mom, dad, and all the others I have listed in previous posts.
-She loves her dolls, especially the new handmade one she got from her cousin Lydia. Whenever she sees it, she stops what she is doing and gets it and gives it a hug. Thanks Lydia (and Kristin)! It is the best Birthday present ever!
-Imitates a lot of the words that Kevin and I say.
-Just today pointed to her teeth when I asked to see them. She has four of them...the two top side ones and the two bottom middle ones. It is so cute!
-Can walk pretty well, but will only do it if it is between me and Kevin, or one of us and the couch. Other times she will start out, but then realize what she is doing and hurry and sit. We have counted up to 20 steps though, so we know she can do it.
-Is doing well putting herself to sleep. Just now, I have listened to her talk and laugh for the last hour before finally falling asleep. Ya, that wouldn't have happened a month ago!
-She is really good at making car noises and drives them all over her tummy. It is really funny, I have never seen her drive them on the ground, just her stomach.
-She is almost only eating real food and is doing very well with the transition!
-Loves her daddy so much! She loves it when he lays on the floor and she will just go and lay her head on his chest and grin from ear to ear. We both LOVE it!
-She is so good at giving "loves" and is the sweetest little girl ever.
-Is already starting to be independent. If she wants something and I get it for her before she has the chance to get it, she will put it back and then pick it up herself.
-She is constantly making Kevin and I laugh. We love her so much and are so blessed to have her as our daughter.
-I can't think of anything else new right now, but I am sure there is plenty I am missing.

On her birthday, we started off by having a little photo shoot. Out of a ton of pictures, I got a few good ones and my sister Michelle is awesome and editing them for me...these are done with me just messing around on Picasa, I will post the final product later.

The cake story...

I forgot to buy a candle so a match was the substitute! She didn't know quite what to think of it.
She was happy just licking the frosting off her finger.

Then I helped her get a little messy. She isn't too fond of dirty hands and was trying to figure out what I had done to her.

She was so mad! She is hitting the cake and flipped it over!

I cleaned her hand off she she settled right down.

Then dad offered to help clean them even better and she thought it was awesome! The cake didn't last too long, but it was so funny how mad she got and then how fast she was okay after. Funny girl!

A friend gave me some hand-me-downs today and this pair of shoes was in the bag. I was scared to try them on her because of the fits she has always thrown, but earlier we had convinced her that socks were cool since we were all wearing them, and low and behold she loved the shoes! We went through all of her shoes and she has about 6 pairs that fit or will soon. She is going to be slylin! She loved every minute of trying them on and wanted to show her dad them all. She would start kicking her feet and yelling "Dad" after each pair. It was so cute! And she did fairly well walking in them too. I hope she keeps this trend going because her poor little feet have been freezing lately. I LOVE this girl!