Happy Birthday Baby!

She's One. A beautiful, sneakily-quiet, always active, sweet as pie unless she's mad as hell, one year old. Ben and I fall more in love with her every day, partly because her quietly independent personality allows us to sit back and watch with awe as she conquers her world.


Our first celebration was in India - our last day there, a little tired and worn out as we relaxed at a hill station near Mumbai. We ate tandoori chicken as she opened her stuffed elephant and bangles, and we ordered her a yucky-tasting birthday cake. In true Indian fashion, I was told "What color do you want? You can pick any color! Brown or White." What a selection.

Yesterday was her American party, where she got lots of help from her big brother in opening her presents, and we couldn't take our eyes off our Indian princess as she tentatively nibbled at her clown cake.

Yet, it was today that truly marked the passing of time. While she and Sy played downstairs with their grandparents, I turned her room upside down, purging it of all things Baby.

Toys that squeak and rattle.
Blankets made to swaddle teeny flailing arms.
Pacifiers that were rejected just when I needed them most.
Miniature towels and washcloths.
A changing table that was last used about 11 1/2 months ago.

All of it relegated to boxes in the basement. It may be years until these things are dug out, and when they are, it will probably be for a friend who is having her first baby and is convinced, as I was, that Diaper Champs are necessary.

I just can't believe that this happened a year ago:


- Yes, thank you, I do look pretty darn good for just having had a baby. That's to make up for all of the wretched pictures of me after pushing out Simon.... which took 5 hours (of pushing, not labor). Taly has been easier in many ways, and her delivery was just the beginning.