Happy ONE year home.

A year ago today Chloe came home.

After three L O N G months in the hospital, we got to bring her home.

This has been a big year, in so many ways, but the biggest by far for her. In the year that she's been here with us, she hasn't been sick (other than her slight runny nose ONE time), I've never had to administer any meds after she got off the crazy meds she came home on (which were A LOT of meds, around the clock, lots of expensive, nasty, side-effect-having meds). She's not been readmitted to the hospital in this year. She's only taken steps forward, never back. It has been the best year.

She is now quite possibly the funniest kid I know (aside from my other kids, who are equally hilarious). She knows she's special - and not because she's spoiled completely rotten...she just knows it. She is an angel.

Sometimes I think back to those days in the NICU when I wasn't allowed to touch her. I would sit and wonder what it would be like to fast-forward a year. I thought I was ready to have her home at any cost. I was willing to accept and love no matter the circumstance. She taught me to be patient and to trust. She taught me that it wasn't my choice and it wasn't under my control. She is still teaching me those things.

F A S T forward that year. She is crawling everywhere and trying to take steps. She will eat anything and everything we let her. She has a crush on Handy Manny. She says MOM very loudly and know exactly who she's scolding when she says it. She hates it when we leave the room. She LOVES her sisters - especially Hface...for some reason Hface can make Chloe laugh like CRAZY. She loves for me to sing the alphabet - but only the LMNOP part. She has 9 teeth and bites HARD. She is losing the indentions on her forehead that were so endearing. She has an ever-so-faint scar on her back from her heart surgery...but her hands and heels are scarred like crazy from IVs and heel pricks. When we ask her to dance she waves both hands in the air like she's flying. She always laughs when we laugh. She loves her aunt Emily, but still loves me more *haha Ems* She has a very graceful fall and hardly ever hits her head because of the way she goes down so easy. She loves to look at the photo in her room of herself and her Raggety Ann doll and then hug her doll. She has a photo of her boyfriend and when we walk by him we ask where Porter is and she looks to find him (awwwww arranged marriage is SO cute). She still has red hair - but it's growing in from back to front...sort of mullet style. She LOVES dogs, especially Maggie. Anytime we see a dog she tries to connect with it by making all sorts of noises. She still wakes up at least once at night. She tries to escape when we change her diaper. She gives OPEN MOUTH kisses, which is so germy but SO cute. She loves her dad and thinks he's fascinating (who doesn't). She tears up all of my magazines. She loves Cheerios. She's a master at opening my laptop and when her fingers don't work she tries to use her mouth. She escapes her stroller now by standing. She still knows when I'm going to say her name when I'm singing her song..."Falling slowly, Baby Chloe........"

I could go ON and ON. It has been an amazing year at home. She is growing far too fast and we are enjoying every second of it. It is actually hard to remember sometimes that she started out so small and fought SO hard to be here and to be well.

What an amazing little girl :)

Here's to our one year anniversary home!