Not even a cake as big as Montana could stop this girl!

I'm so so late in giving proper props to my most adorable niece on her 1st big birthday! I would blame it on the 87 illnesses making their way through my household this month (which, btw, wtf May?) but let's face it, this is most likely a case of inborn Jones procrastination, always thinking I'll have time to get it done and then never quite getting it done before the deadline. Sound familiar Mark?

Anyway, last week was a very BIG week for Miss Amelia. I can't believe (I know it's cliched) but I really can't that it was a whole year ago that I posted this. What a night...oh man, what a night - you're totally humming that tune now aren't you? Well, if you weren't before, you're welcome now. Anyway, that night was so awesome. My emotions ranged from complete and utter disbelief to complete and utter edge of your seat can't sit still anticipation. I still feel bad I wasn't more excited initially when Kim called to tell me she thought her water just broke, but in my small defense, I was in a newborn sleeplessness haze myself when I got the news and I just couldn't wrap my head around it! I mean, she wasn't supposed to come for 4 more weeks, how could she be on her way - was all I could think. That whole night I texted back and forth with Kim (while in labor, I might add!) and had the best sleepless night ever knowing I would soon have a niece or nephew. Right before I got the news I was in the middle of a dream about the baby who was born perfect and beautiful and it was a girl. I still remember it so vividly to this day. So when the phone rang at 6am that morning, I knew SHE was here, even before my brother officially said it. To this day, that's still one of my favorite all time experiences. Some day I'll tell you about the other ones.

In the past year I've watched that teeny-tiny, little baby girl - who I so excitedly/loudly told the McDonald's drive thru lady the morning of her birth, "I'm going to meet my NIECE today, she was just born 3 hours ago - FOUR WEEKS EARLY, but everything's fine and she's PERFECT!!!" - grow from that little beautiful bean in the hospital into a wildly vivacious spirit. She is so full of wonder and spirit and determination - gosh, that babygirl is driven... a good mix of Mark's sticktuitiveness and Kim's drive. She is the happiest, sweetpea (as her mom would say and I think it fits her perfectly) of a babygirl most times, but can also hold her own with the big boys. I just know she is going to keep giving her cousins Shane (and soon enough Bridget) a run for their money.


So, Miss A, it's been an awesome first year being your Aunt and I can't wait to see you walk, talk, run after the big kids and everything in between - and just think - that will happen this year! I know I'll blink and be posting about how much you've changed this year, so I'm going to keep holding on to today's details and embracing tomorrow's new ones! You will always have my heart as my first Niece, and although someday I'll be more than happy to share that love, right now it's all yours babygirl - I love you! And don't ever forget that while your mommy will hook you up with cakes 3 times the size of your head, Aunt Erin's always got your back when it comes to burritos that size.

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HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY, Amelia!