Cambri

On this weekend, one year ago, we had been in our new home for about two weeks, harvest was complete, and our final baby was ready to come home from the NICU.

I’m sure it is unnecessary for me to marvel quite so much at the absolute wonder of a child’s development in his or her first year of life, but I just can’t help it. I find myself completely awestruck EVERY DAY with the new things our sweet baby is accomplishing and discovering EVEN THOUGH she is my third child. I feel excited to share her new talents with my husband and her big sisters; I relish in our shared enthusiasm, and our bond is strengthened.

Just yesterday, when our precious one-year-old noticed I was sweeping the floor, she headed to the laundry room for her own broom and got straight to work. She matches sounds, she organizes, she makes decisions, she lays on the floor and “reads,” she understands “no,” she squeals with absolute delight, and she LOVES, LOVES, LOVES her daddy. She loves to eat, but is selective about WHAT she eats (tossing what she doesn’t like overboard). She enjoys middle of the night (or early morning) snuggles. She plays and plays and plays. The kitchen is her favourite playground, every drawer or cupboard a new place of discovery. Non-toys are her favourite toys … mini-pumpkins, boots and shoes, books, water bottles, and we mustn’t forget … laundry! The girl has a love for all things laundry, particularly UNFOLDING or UNPACKING anything that’s too organized. She leaves a trail wherever she goes and even has the odd hissy fit if she’s not allowed to play in a bathroom, her oldest sister’s bedroom (too many tiny toys in that room), or the furnace room. She LOVES peek and going outside. She can’t get enough of dogs and cats (and just wants to LOVE on them so very much). She’s okay with a stroller ride (as long as it’s moving), but isn’t much for toques and hats. She’s recently taken up hockey and dancing (like her big sisters), and she loves to play chase. She generally tolerates her oldest sister carting her around, but also lets everyone know when she’s had enough. She loves her blankie and her soother, and she now waves “bye-bye.” She loves books (especially the ripping kind) and crumpling papers (even the super special ones). She is all busy, but crashes hard (generally twice a day). She is Cambri, and she really is something to marvel at.

This is the little girl who was born 10 weeks early, spending the first six weeks of her life in the NICU. This is the girl who weighed just three pounds when she was born (and dipped below that shortly after). This is the girl who struggled and struggled with reflux. This is the girl who played strange with her grandmothers (and very intensely so). This is the girl who slept with her parents for the first eight months of her life (something her sisters would have NEVER done). This is the (third) girl God gave us, and each day, I whisper sweet thank yous to the Lord for the gift that is Cambri. She’s a real gem.