Hope’s First Year

A few weeks ago, The Civee resumed her graduate classes, making Tuesday and Wednesday nights the time  Hope and I get to hang out and do fun things like listen to Weezer and watch the Yankees.

So last night we were hanging out, laughing, running around, listening to some music, waiting for the Yankees game to start and probably doing some other things which The Civee would disapprove of when it hit me- a year ago today, all this little baby could do was hang out.  Sure, she’d “listen” to whatever background music was on, but she couldn’t laugh, run or otherwise interact with me.  Hope has come a long way in just a year.  Have a look for yourself:

People have been saying that Hope looks like me.  I think they say that because her hair is just growing in while I’m starting to lose mine.  But I actually see a lot of The Civee in her.  Her smile, her sense of adventure and her coyness all remind me of her mother.  Still, she’s her own person.  She’s coordinated.  And strong.  And smart.

Back when she was a month old, I said something along the lines that I was surprised I hadn’t dropped or otherwise broken her.  Well, thankfully, the streak continues.  Although it is getting harder to hang on to her.  She loves to run around and is starting to do more things on her own.  And as much fun as it was to hold her as a newborn, it’s just as much fun to interact with her and watch her explore the world.

Happy birthday, Hope!