Corinna is 1 year!

Our Baby Bubbles is growing up!  It hardly seems possible that a year has gone past since we were touching her soft newborn skin, admiring her squishy fat rolls, and nuzzling her downy fine baby hair.  I wrote about her entrance to this world here, and she's been a delight and joy in our home ever since.  

Jonathan was on his way to Germany on her birthday, so we kept it a low key affair and will really celebrate when he gets back.  She did have her first taste of cake on her birthday.  Chocolate, naturally!  On the day she arrived, one year ago, we feted with chocolate cake, so it was only fitting.  And tasty.  As an added bonus, Matthew made the cake.

 She wasn't sure at first what to think of it, and regarded it rather suspiciously. 

Then she decided it was fun to mush and squish before giving it a tiny taste. 

But when she tasted it, she was sold!

Then she attempted to lick her plate clean.  Num!

Please sir, can I have some more? 

For her gross motor skills she is now walking and even attempting to run!  She climbs stairs, ledges, and Daddies.  

She can throw, but sometimes forgets to let go of the ball at the right time.  Corinna also invented a game in which she puts her head down onto the ground like so:

and immensely enjoys it if you copy her.

For fine motor skills, the girl has a knack for opening things that ought not to be opened.  She's beginning to use a more refined pincer grasp when picking small objects up, but still often prefers to use her other fingers in addition to her index and thumb. 

Corinna babbles and says ma ma ma and da da da, but we don't think they are actual words yet.  Clearly she is understanding more of the world around her though.  When I say a word such as "Matthew" or "phone" she will direct her attention to what was named.  She also understands "No" and doesn't much like it!  Corinna loves to play peek-a-boo and to chase and be chased by her big siblings.  She bobs to music, and laughs and squeals when something pleases her.  

It is getting more difficult to hide things from Corinna.  If she catches you in the act of hiding an object away she is not fooled anymore into thinking that since it is out of sight it is therefore gone.  Oh no!  Even if she doesn't see the actual hiding space she is clever enough to start looking.  I took my phone away from her and quickly secreted it away without her seeing where.  She started ransacking my purse, my pockets and my hands looking for it.  

She is growing is so many ways.  I am really going to miss "baby" Bubbles, but I am looking forward to the antics of "toddler aka hurricane" Bubbles.