It's only been 8 million years since Sophie was 9-12months. No big deal.Once again, this post is for me to keep a record of my sweet baby girl's first year. Please don't feel like you need to read all of this, friends of the internet!Despite the fact that these months are clumped together, Sophie developed and grew the most over this time period. She lost some (only some, thank goodness!) of her baby rolls as she learned to crawl, pull herself up, and walk using her push toys. Sophie's first word, other than Dada and Mama, ended up being... not book.... not dog... but keys. Her first word was, strangely, keys. But she said "kssss" in such a cute way. So Proud. She is the light and the joy of our lives. This is what I posted on Instagram on her first birthday:Happy first birthday, sweet Sophie. This time last year, after your grandparents left for the night, after your daddy fell asleep on the hospital couch, after the room was dim, and the air was quiet, I stood over your bassinet, and I read you the Christmas story. I remember whispering Mary's song to you and covering us both with these words: "My soul glorifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in Christ my savior...for the Mighty One has done great things for me — holy is his name." The joy you brought into my life has forever changed my soul and forever marked my spirit. I will be always thankful — so deeply thankful — for December 17, 2017 to December 17, 2018. The first year of your life has shown me adventure and purpose and gratitude. But mostly, joy. Mostly, joy, sweet girl. Thank you.Month 9: This month, we took Sophie to Grand Lake for the first time. Joe and I have been dreaming about the day we'd bring our babies up to the spot we got married for six years. It was pretty magical. She went to the church nursery for the first time, loved playing under the sheets of Mommy and Daddy's bed, and loved to gurgle using the back of her throat like a good German baby. She also loved swinging in the swing we hung for her in the backyard.During this month, Sophie's absolute favorite thing to do was to stand and play at her play table. Oh, and she loved to blow raspberries on my belly! One of my favorite memories during this month was feeling her pet my arm while I nursed her.Favorite book: Baby FacesFavorite song: "Down by the Bay"Favorite foods: Beets, fresh peachesFavorite activities: swinging outside, blowing raspberries on my belly, playing ride a little horsey on our kneesDislikes: avocado, car rides at nightFirsts: She holds on and stands on her own. 9/15, she said Dada when he walked in the room. I swear she also said "Biscuit" on the day we took to her to Erie Biscuit Day. She also says "Bob!" all. the. time. So naturally we named her tapir Bob -- we got him at her first visit to the Denver Zoo with Aunt Yo and Uncle E.Month 10: This month, Sophie started crawling and popped out her first two teeth! She went to the pumpkin patch with Gammy and Mama, and she went to her first swim lessons at the Erie Rec Center. She loved everything about swim lessons -- except being dunked. She did not like the dunking. Nope. When she's upset in the car, she still loves when Mama sings Rockin' Robin and Baby Beluga over and over and over to her.Favorite book: Dancing Feet, Boo at the ZooFavorite songs: My Girl, Ain't No Mountain High Enough, Edelweiss for naps, If You're Happy and You Know ItFirsts: Cruising, Pulling herself up on her own, "real crawling" rather than just snaking along (toward the end of the month), teeth!Dislikes: solid foods with texture, beef puree (understandable)^Zoo, with buddies!^First time pulling up!^Two teeth poking through on the bottom.^Bob, the tapir.Month 11: This month, Sophie went to her first Boo at the Zoo with Gammy and Bebe and rode a tapir on the merry-go-round. She cruises all the way around the coffee table these days, and she loves opening and closing cabinets and drawers (even after smashing her fingers for the first time). Sophie waves "bye-bye" and even said her first real word this month: keys! Nana taught her what it means to be "under something" which has prevented many a head bonk. This month, Sophie had her first bought of diarrhea (poor babe!) but she also had her first Halloween. We all dressed up like characters from one of her favorite books, Night Animal. Sophie was the cutest skunk baby of all time.Favorite Book: Barnyard DanceFavorite Song: DespacitoFavorite Food: Chicken, beef, carbs of all kinds (naan, noodles, crackers)Favorite activities: Cruising the furniture, playing piano with her feet^An introduction to "Thriller"^Joe carved Charles in his pumpkin^Loves the elephants at the zoo! Below: obsessed with tapirs.Month 12+ Christmas: Birthday month! So many tears this month. From me. Sophie's first Thanksgiving weekend included watching the Macy's Day Parade with Muzzy, eating mashed potatoes and turkey like a champion, decorating the Christmas tree and holding the precious "Rudolph" ornament to everyone's envy. She and Muzzy set up the train, and then we all watched Home Alone (Sophie's first movie, kind of) as per tradition. Sophie's elf, Wiley (who happens to be second cousin's with Annie and Ellie's elf Smiley), made his first appearance at the Cutshall home, and the last weekend of November, Sophie was christened at First Pres; we all celebrated by going to our favorite Indian restaurant in Boulder where the waiters love her (and steal her away to go say hi to the cooks in the kitchen). We love Jaipur. Sophie cracked up during the holiday season watching Joe and I dance The Nutcracker ballet for her enjoyment in our kitchen. She thought it was hilarious. Her hands down FAVORITE toy this month was the dancing Santa at Gammy and Muzzy's house who swung his hips back and forth  to "Rockin Around the Christmas Tree." She wanted Bebe, who flew into town for her birthday and Christmas, to play it over and over and over. She ended up calling Bebe Santa by the end of the visit. "Nanta," to be precise. Another highlight of the season came right after the saddest part of the season, losing Papa Jerry. We were spending the night with Nana, and we decided to go to Home Depot to buy a new Christmas tree. In the middle of the parking lot, as the snow fell, we sang "If all the snowflakes were candybars and milkshakes, oh what a world it would be" and we stuck out our tongues during the chorus to catch the snowflakes. It felt magical, and it was just what we needed. We miss Papa Jerry every day.Right before Sophie's birthday, she caught the Norovirus and then selflessly passed it on to her parents, her aunt Yodie, and her Muzzy, so we had to cancel her first birthday party. We were all pretty bummed about it. But, when her actual birthday came around, we gave her a tiny pink and white cake to smash, and then we took her to Zoo Lights for the first time where we met Santa. She loved watching the Elephants that night.Favorite books: Nutcracker music/touch book, Hug Machine, Snuggle Puppy, The 12 Pets of Christmas, An adorable Christmas pop-up book that Annie and Ellie gave her (and can't remember the name of right now! sorry!)Favorite toys: Rockin' Santa, Cozy Coup Car, Custom Board book of Sophie's fan club, wooden block cube, dad's watch, hammer/toy set, toy eggs, baby stroller, baby bottles (she loves chewing on them and feeding her baby)Words: Keys, Mama, Dada, glasses, bye-bye, all done, uh-oh, Santa, light, doggie, nose, eyesSongs: Nutcracker, Rockin' Around the Christmas treeFirsts: Thanksgiving, Tree decorating, cake smashing, Zoo Lights, stomach flu. Every year, Joe and I celebrate our anniversary of when we started dating by reliving our first date downtown Denver at The Market in Larimer Square--it was surreal to take Sophie this year. So magical. Other firsts: Sophie can point and tell me where her eyes, ears, mouth, nose, bellybutton and toes are, AND  she met her first real-life camel on Christmas Eve.Favorite activities: opening presents, climbing stairs (daddy immediately taught her how to climb back down them!), dancing with Bebe and Santa, playing with the whisk and spatula at Nana's houseDislikes: cow's milk