Things have been so challenging around our house lately that it’s only now, one entire month later, that I’m finishing up on Isora’s One Year Old birthday traditions. I hope to have her birthday letter all polished off tomorrow but really wanted to pull together a photo look at her year of firsts.

With Cedella I really went to town doing a bit of a photo shoot for every single month and (almost) always a monthly update of all her stats and milestones.

Yea. Isora doesn’t have any of those fancy updates, but I will tell you a little bit about her…

At now 13 months old, Isora is one of the funniest and sweetest children I have ever known. She is so quick to smile, to laugh and to make others laugh. You can’t help yourself when she makes a silly face at you or flashes one of her sweet dimpled smiles. She’s contagiously happy.

Now it may be true that she has a big sister to race after and to learn from, but she is crushing every single milestone possible. The girl walked at 9 1/2 months, like her sister, and is now doing all sorts of talking and eats like there’s no tomorrow. She’s so determined and fearless that she just went down the big kid twisty slide at the park without hesitation and giggled the whole time.

She has a pretty incredible vocabulary so far. Her words now include: Daddy, Mommy, Ella, Izzie, Anna, Mia, Bia, Kira, Gramma, Teta, Jido, Elmo, Ernie, dog, monkey, milk, eat, all done, water, Diego, more, please, thank you, up, down, wrap and ‘here you go’. Yep, ‘here you go’, real fast. It sounds like ‘herego’ but she says it as she passes something to someone. So. Smart.

I can hardly believe that she has only been a part of our family for one year. It feels like I’ve never lived without her. I love to see her sleeping face. She looks so much like her dad when she sleeps. But nothing warms me like her smile. It takes my breath away.

I remember wondering how I could ever love another child as much as I love Cedella. Isora made it easy. From the exact second I saw her she was my love. It was so easy. She is so easy to love.

Mere moments after she was born and those blushed cheeks were already two of my favorite body parts in all the world.

Not sure what I love more, her multiple chins or her smooshy cheeks.

Though she had been smiling before this I could never catch it on camera. But those smirks were in full effect by month 2.

It was hot out. So why not put the sticker directly on the baby, huh? Count those delicious rolls. Love.

At 4 months old Isora took her first dip in Lake Huron. She might have been less than impressed. But adorable none the less.

Now she’s starting to come into her signature grin. When she smiles her whole face smiles and her eyes sparkle.

My sweet little pumpkin at 6 months old in the pumpkin patch. Poor baldy. She really did lose her hair for a while there. Doesn’t matter. I’d pick this little pumpkin from the patch. Notice the socks, which means, thankfully, she wasn’t walking yet.

Enjoying a warm Thanksgiving Day at Aunt Gayle’s in South Carolina at 7 months old marking her first official road trip and first time meeting her Great Grandma Cecelia.

Izzie Biz’s first Christmas morning. She looks a bit dazed and confused. In fairness, it was a lot of stuff to open. She liked her books the most.

A Linus in the making? Or Alicia Keys perhaps? She babbles and sings as she plays, making me just so proud.

Teeth!! On Valentine’s Day (about 11 months) you can finally see she has four teeth. And that’s a silly smile, not a grimace. She was laughing…

The smiley happy Birthday Girl. Hair filling in, little teeth showing, smiling as usual and thighs overflowing the Babylegs. All. Good. Things.

This year has been challenging and incredible and lovely. Well, aside from the past month or so. But every single moment with Isora is worth it.

She is the very definition of sunshine when skies are gray. May she always keep this gift of light that she graces people with, both loved ones and strangers alike.

Thanks for going on this little flashback journey with me. Hope we brought you some sunshine today! Happy Wordless/Wordful Wednesday to each and every one of you!