The days have been flying by. Work has been intense and the weekends packed even when we have little planned.

So it has been a long time since I have posted. Really it is only because I am stuck here at jury duty that I have a moment to write anything at all.

Theory has changed so much in the past few months. She is a big little girl now. While she has not gained a lot of weight, she has gotten thinner and longer. Still a little pea. Shortly after her first birthday she started to take her first steps and now she is really getting around.

Her personality has become very distinct. She is a bit of joker and loves to pretend to give you something only to snatch it away at the last minute. Hide and seek is a favorite as are hand puppets. Her hand gets lost in the puppet and she gets frustrated at not being able to manipulate like I do – especially the scary monster with big teeth. She is fascinated with tops and spends many hours examining how to put caps on various bottles.

Now she sleeps by herself on a small bed next to ours. At night she will often get into bed herself and start to read her books and bury herself in the pillows – but she fights sleep with every drop of energy. It often means a few tears before she drops off to sleep.

This past week the cold weather finally broke so we have once again be going down to Battery Park. This time she is much more active. On Saturday she climbed up the jungle gym several times and we slid down the slide together. She had a huge smile.

I ordered a bike trailer and am anxiously awaiting its arrival. I think she is really going to love going out on the Esplanade as she loves moving – be it in her stroller or in her big red wagon. After a lot of research, I ended up buying a Chariot Cabriolet. And of course, a helmet.

Luckily the bike path starts just a few blocks from the house so I can avoid pretty much all the traffic.

Her diet is also now drastically different. She basically eats whatever we are eating and has learned to use the few teeth she has to bike things. She says “apple” and “banana” whenever she can and loves to eat them, as well as papaya, dried papaya, eggs, pancakes, ravioli, cream of wheat, toast with cream cheese, American and cheddar cheers, crepes, quiches, etc… Most all, she likes cheese cake. At the moment she is on a cracker craze. At night she wakes up and says “cracker.”

Every day we watch Sesame Street and she dances to Elmo.

Last weekend I even took her to a taiko drumming class. She stood next to the shime daiko and hit it with bachis in both hands. It was a blast. If they weren’t so expensive I would love to buy one to use as a way to exercise.

We had a terrific party for her on her first birthday - with balloons, cupcakes, presents, and lots of friends.  I published a magazine for the family that encapsulates her first year.