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I just found out that the Super Bowl is the same day as Keeley's birthday this year. Of course, that's the same day we planned her party. So much for the person who assured us that the Super Bowl was NOT that day. (Not to mention any names, Mike.) Just as much our fault for listening anyways. I guess it won't make too much of a difference since her party is at 1.

I can't believe that last year we watched the Super Bowl in the hospital with my parents. Keeley slept through most of it. But that makes sense since she was like maybe 2 days old. And now she'll be a year in just a couple weeks. It's so amazing how fast it all went. And it seemed so SLOW those first couple months. I thought we'd NEVER be here. But more of that in the Month 12 letter.

Birthday party plans are coming along nicely - for those of you who where wondering. (Anyone?) I mailed out the invites in plenty of time (for once) and I have most of the decorations. Sweetheart theme. Aaaw. Our sweetheart is turning one. (Insert tear here.) Sniff. I've mostly figured out the cake situation, but I still need to know how much to make and how I'm going to decorate it and what kind of icing I want to use. Okay, so maybe I only have cake pans. Either way, that's more than I had before this weekend. I still have to make the favors and some of the decorations and figure out the food situation. Oh, and totally clean the entire house. Apparently, I am not as far along with this as I thought. Perhaps I should stop sitting in front of the computer and start doing something...

P.S. For those of you who are coming to the party, I just wanted you to know that gifts are optional. You can bring one and we'll love you or you can not bring one and we'll still love you. (Just maybe a little less... Did I just write that? OF COURSE, I AM KIDDING!)

The hilarity of destroying block towers. Wow.

The polls have now closed

Thank you to those who took the time to vote or email me with your opinions. I decided to send in the first photo, Big Smile, because it shows off her dimple and crazy hair. Mostly, I'm glad I learned myself how to use the survey feature on blogger. Now I can survey the audience more! Are you excited, or what?

Which one should I use?

I want to send a photo of Keeley in for Live with Regis and Kelly's Beautiful Baby contest. We all know what a beautiful baby Keeley is. So beautiful, in fact, I am having trouble deciding which photo to send in. Here is where I need your help. Could you look through these 4 photos and vote which one you think has the best shot? Thanks for helping, Keeleyfans!

Big Smile

Santa Smile

Pink Hat

Jaunty Flower Hat

Any given Sunday

This Sunday we took Keeley to the park/playground by our house. She had a blast. It was very different from the last time I took her. That time we pretty much stayed on the swings. That lasted oh, about 10 minutes and then we were done. Oh yeah, we also looked at some other kids on the way back to the car.

This time? Way different. Of course, we started on the swings. Always a crowd pleaser, those swings. Then we moved to the playground equipment. Fancy. Luckily, this park has a small children's area and a fancier big kids area. Keeley had a blast crawling up the steps and walking on the stuff. She twirled the twirly things and even went down the slide. I have to admit, the slide was not her favorite. Meh.

She waved at all the other kids playing around her. My kid is a polite one. She was so interested in what the other kids were doing. I guess I need to get back into some mommy groups now that she's discovered other kids. We'll save that post for another day, though.

All in all, a great day. Now I'll post some gratuitous cute-baby-on-playground photos. Lucky you.

Keeley Dawn: Month 10

Today you turned 11 months. This is your last month in your first year. Sniff. Ah, but this was an amazing month. I'm sure I say that every month, but this month really was. You took your first steps this month. And now you can almost walk across whole rooms. You get so excited when you walk. You look to us like, "Look what I can do!" When you get close to whatever it is that you're walking towards, you lunge for it. Luckily, you usually walk to us or the couch.

Your first Christmas was also this month. You were an angel. You opened each present and played with whatever was inside. Even clothes. It was like a fun game for you. Of course, on Christmas morning we had to take the present away after you opened and played with the gift for an appropriate time (30 seconds?) and then thrust another present in front of you. You had that many presents. You had to take a nap to get through them all. And that was just the ones on Christmas morning. I tell you, you are a lucky girl.

You've also begun copying us. If we bang on a pot with a spoon, you want to bang on the pot with a spoon. If I hold Baby, you want to hold Baby. We're lucky you can't talk yet or I'm sure you would've been kicked out of the YMCA daycare for swearing. The best is when you try to copy a facial expression or some sound we make. You can't quite get it right, but whatever you actually do is much better that what you were trying to do. Tonite you were trying to make the "fish face" but you weren't anywhere close. You ended up doing something with your tongue and it was hilarious. Oh, and you love it when we laugh at the funny things you do. It just encourages you more. When we laugh and you don't know why, you just join right in.

This month you visited the grave of your Grandma and Grandpa Lund for the first time. I hope we will make it every year. They would have loved you. Grandpa Lund was a GREAT horsey-ride giver. And Grandma Lund was the BEST to make cookies with. And she would've made you all kinds of outfits - both for you and your dolls. Oh, and if you ever wanted a cherry milkshake, Grandpa Lund was the one to go to. I still haven't found a better milkshake. Even at Andy's Igloo.

I just can't believe how much you're growing and changing. You've been watching my mouth intently the past couple weeks. You're watching how I move it when I say things. I swear, one day you're just going to start telling me a story. You seem to have so much to say. The other day I was showing Mimi photos of you on the tv and one of Buddy came up. You started going, "Buh! Buh! Buh!" You were so excited.

I love seeing things through your eyes. You bring so much more to my life. I wish I woke up as excited as you do. You are just so ready. Life is so new and fun for you. You're ready for it all. I am so proud of you. You are my girl. (You're sleeping now, but I really want to go kiss your head. I won't, but I really want to.)

Love you,

Mommy

Happy New Year everybody!