16 April 2009: Baby Heléna Turns 1!

I am this child's mother, and it's hard for even ME to believe that this is the same baby we welcomed into the world one year ago. Heléna Elizabeth was born on the 16th of April, 2008, at 10:24 in the morning. She weighed 6 pounds and 9 ounces -- such a little peanut! The first photo shows her fresh from the womb, one day old. The second photo was taken on her first birthday.





















At 12 months, Heléna weighs about 23 pounds. She has learned how to pull herself up to a standing position, and is starting to cruise around furniture. It won't be long before she's running to keep up with her big sister. She babbles nonstop, and can say about a half-dozen real words (including "mom," "cat," "uh-oh," "open," and "down"). She has quite a silly sense of humor and brings smiles to our faces every single day. We are so blessed to have this little person in our family!

Heléna celebrated her first birthday in style, with a fab lunch at the La Palma Hotel on the Italian island of Capri, followed by cupcakes at our rented villa in Sorrento. (See previous post for details!) After we returned to London, she celebrated again with my visiting parents, opening gifts from all our Stateside relatives; and again over tea at the Red Cafe with our dear friends Tallie, Martha, and Charlotte. Although I feel badly about not orchestrating a proper first-birthday party for her, I know the child was not deprived. :-)