Hi baby! We are in Fort Worth for the week with your daddy. You are so active now, it is hard to keep up with you and it is really hard to keep you safe in a hotel room. We had a little birthday party for you with your friends in San Antonio. It was so much fun! I miss our home in McKinney, but I love our new friends and I feel like we have built a little life for ourselves in San Antonio.

I thought I would tell you the story behind your name:
I was talking with your Aunt Kathy on the phone when she said, "Hi Charlie!" I said who is that and she explained that a little girl was over and that her name was Charlotte, but went by Charlie. I fell in love with the name right there. I told your daddy about it and he loved it too. It fits so well, because we really wanted a "C" name after your grandfather Christopher. Also, your daddy was born in the city of Charlotte Amalie, on the island of St. Thomas!
To be fair, we didn't decide on your name until three days after you were born. You were almost a Caroline or an Emily. We also liked Elenore, Marjorie, Elizabeth, Catherine, and Addison. In the end, it was either Caroline or Charlotte and we picked Charlotte. By the way, your daddy volunteers your name to everyone who comes in contact with you. He really likes that you go by Charlie and people melt when they hear it. You are so girly and beautiful!

I love you baby girl!

Darling Bug, you are my little angel! I had to go to the doctor today and I took you. I couldn't get the nurses away from me and the receptionist came up and squeezed your cheeks. It is so like being with a celebrity!

Anyway, you are walking so well now and your balance is excellent. I am so proud of you. As you know by now, we so desperately wanted to have you! I went through years of pain and disappointment trying to get pregnant. I pray you never know what that is like. So, if we clap a little louder than other parents, and if we seem to get teary eyed when you do something, it is because we never thought we would get to have you.

We used to go to baby showers, birthday parties and other events with friends that had children. I would sometimes become really sad and jealous. Your daddy, would just promise me that "someday" it will be our turn. Now it is our turn, and trust me we are not wasting one opportunity to cover you with love.

I am actually getting a bad back, because I sit on the floor with you all day, playing. I wouldn't change it though. I just can't believe that I was so blessed with you. You are so beautiful, smart and funny! OK, so every time I write, I say the same thing. It is because I just feel so overwhelmed with gratitude that I get the chance to be a mom, and that I am your mom. By the way, I am still waiting for you to say "Mama." I will wait until you are ready. I love you sweet baby!!!!

Sweet baby girl, you are walking almost full time now!! WOW, you are amazing! I can't get over how fast you are changing. You also started saying "HI" yesterday too. You actually say "Hiya" or "Heyo" sometimes. I love taking you infront of the mirror, where you wave and say "hi".

Your BFF Sissy scratched your face today, just above your lip. I am not happy with her at all. I know she didn't mean to do it, but I want to keep her away from you now. You love her so much, you have started screaming trying to call them over. They (Bud and Sissy) aren't fond of your screatching, but you seem to think it works. We will work on "Here kitty."

So, your daddy is in Philidelphia for work. He left on Sunday and will be home on Friday. This is the first time since you were 8 weeks old that we have had this much time just the two of us. I am loving our girl time, but I so appriciate the time your daddy spends with you. He gives you a bath, and you don't like it when mommy does it. You guys have a system.

That is what is going on. I love you so much! Mommy!

Happy Birthday baby girl. I can't believe it has been a year! For your birthday, we went to dinner at Red Robin. Not a fancy place, but you love it. We came home and had ice cream cup cakes and opened presents. You got a ton of stuff, a learning home, bubbles (your favorite), blocks, a ball pit and a bunch of other little things that I have already given you. Your grandjan gave you a stroller for your dolly and a pop up activity center. Your grandmax gave you a box with her voice recorded reading to you. I could go on and on, trust me, you have a ton of stuff!

Now, I will go into detail at some point, but you almost died on us a few times after you were born. You are healthy now, but you spent the first 8 days of your life in the hospital in the NICU. For that reason, your dad and I decided that you will have a birthday week. When you have brother or sister, I will have to reevaluate this.

This has been the best year of my life! I love you soooooo much.

Talking and signing

Everyday we are learning new things!! The other night you said "Da Da!" You babble a ton, but this was directed at your Daddy. I thought your dad was going to cry he was thrilled.
Over the last 24 hours you started signing for "milk" when you want to nurse!! You are so smart. You are blowing lots of kisses now too. We went to Dallas for a visit and you were blowing them to everyone.

We had so much fun in Dallas. We went to the zoo and to the aquarium. You loved the penguins and the giraffes at the zoo. You loved everything about the aquarium. When we move back we will get memberships to both. Honestly, I loved them as much or more than you did. I love animals and the Dallas Zoo is exceptional! The San Antonio Zoo, not so much, but it will do while we are here. I bought a membership there, and we have been several times. I wish it were nicer for the animals that live there.

Right now you are a Mickey Mouse fan, so we bought you a ton of MM stuff for your birthday. We stopped in Georgetown today to see Grandjan and Bob and she threw a little birthday party for you, complete with MM plates, cups, napkins and decorations. You also got a MM cake and balloon!!

I can't believe you are almost 1!!! I loving watching you learn and develop, but it all seems like it is flying by. You are the greatest gift I have ever been given.

Sweet bug! You took three steps tonight!!! Your daddy was coaxing you with mini, M&M's and like any Friedman girl, you moved. You also started blowing kisses in the last few days. Today, you really got it down. Our other new favorite thing is when you clench your fists and pull your mouth down and open your eyes, like you are straining. It is soooo cute, you do it just to make us laugh. You are so funny. You are on your tummmy, sleeping with us and you just sat up with your eyes closed and fell backward. Luckily, there are pillows and you just felling into them and are back asleep.

We love you and I can't believe your birthday is coming up!! Oh, your daddy was promoted and we are so excited. Yay Daddy!!!

Love you sweet baby!

Mommy

You are beautiful, smart, charming and sweet! Your father and I are just so lucky!
Here is what is new with you: you are so mobile! I am exhausted, but I love seeing you crawl around. You are also getting closer to walking.

You love to give sloppy kisses and head butt us. You will eat just about anything we are eating. You love cheese, pancakes, waffles, veggies, chicken and turkey. You can eat cupfulls of blue berries, it is amazing!

You have all four teeth up top and the same two on the bottom. Poor baby, the top ones were tough on you.
We went to the ranch last weekend and you had a blast. I took the most amazing pictures of you. Even the steers in the pen were enchanted with you. There weren't any Bluebonnets out this year. :(

We are going back this weekend for Easter and I will keep looking. I would love to take some pictures of you petting the horses. I will post some when we get home.

I love you sweet baby!