Almost ONE

One year on.
Where have all the days gone to? My friends often say she's growing so big! Oh yes. Bethany Hope is almost one, and we have filled our days with playing, chattering, eating, drinking, walking, shopping, phoning, singing and watching.
On 15th June, Father's Day, Bethany started to walk! She is practically running now - across the room, up the stairs, under the chairs, into the boxes, around the piano, under the stool: and all as fast as she can.

There's so much that this year has been full of that it has been hard to keep up. A book of firsts, of moments that I hope I will always remember. Of sleepless nights - too many to mention, but we are now through that phase and LOVE twelve hour nights. We have travelled by car, plane - oh yeah - the 12 hour to SA was entertaining. Our princess decided that to sleep was too boring and after 11.5 hours of scowls from other passengers, Bethany became the cutest girl in the world, and smiled at EVERYONE for the final 30 minutes of the flight. Phew we thought, she restored the peace!

Our Summer Holiday was full of sun, sea and sand, that we keep on finding! She built sandcastles, grew confident to RUN into the waves and splash for hours and hours. Grew fond of wearing her hat, then hated it! She is a toddler now and all that she does and is is so delightful. To think she is who she is [somewhat] because of what we have poured into her, every single day. Through the nights where, while she didn't sleep we prayed, sang, hummed, cooed and talked. Through the days where we read, talked, shopped, laughed, played, built towers, made animal noises, ate.

Her personality is adorable. This year, we have grown as people, as parents, as husband and wife. We know we have a lot more to grow in and give to. As each September comes round, I feel it's like a new beginning. New hopes and dreams, new journeys. Maybe because I was at Uni for a while and then school for a bit...! I don't know what it is I hope for this year just yet, but I am beginning to think about it, to dream and wonder.

xxx