One Year Old

Well in the shuffle of CTB stuff, I forgot to mention that my baby turned ONE YEAR OLD.  Clara is one!  And I just can’t believe it’s been an entire year since we drove off to the hospital and a little squishy ball of baby was born.  Life is happening and kids are growing.



Each of my children have been “good babies”.
Well, Owen required a bit more attention which is on par with his personality…he’s just more extreme in every emotion, in every direction.  But that’s what I love about him.

And third time around, we got our Clara doll. And she has really been a delightful cheerful little girl.  She smiles and smiles and tries to keep up with the big kids.  AND, she’s started walking!  It’s been bits of the Frankenstein stumble for a month but just this week she prefers to walk over crawl and it’s so fun to watch her get around! And she’s pretty confident, she rarely wants to hold my hand…which I hope are good signs of things to come.  I worry about coddling the youngest.

Most of all I love Clara’s little/big personality.

She’s a bit of a goofball like her brother and loves to giggle and play games.

She’s come a long way in a year.

Little slug:


Happy adventurer:


Always making cameos on my Instagram (follow me @danamadeit or via Twitter @danawillard)

Clara is a tenderheart for babies and animals and can’t keep her hands off of them.  If there’s a puppy in the park she needs to be in his face.  And while Lucy was never a baby doll kind of girl, Clara can’t help picking one up and snuggling with it.  So for her birthday (on Feb 9th) we gave Clara her very own doll and she scooped that little thing up.

Then we broke out the standard birthday cupcakes and let her go at it.

Timid at first, then went animal style with all mouth, no hands.



Mmmm.  Cupcakes.

Here’s the 12 month comparison:

Thank you Clara doll for being part of our family!
And thanks for following along with us over here. It’s been fun sharing her growth with you each month.

Read about each month here:
1 month
2 months
3 months
4 months
5 months
6 months
7 months
8 months
9 months
10 months
11 months
1 YEAR OLD!

  1. Those high chair pictures are my favourites — there’s something so amazing about watching a personality come into the fore! Happy birthday, Clara!

    • 2) Rufus

      Claras so cute!!!!!!
      We need a book.
      And a film.
      And a tv series.
      Clara you are my hero!!!!!!!!
      😍

  2. Happy Birthday Clara!!
    Thank you for sharing her growth with us, I had so much fun watching her growing up 😉

  3. I just love every post with pictures of Clara. She always makes me smile. I vote for more Instragram cameo’s!
    Congratulations!

  4. Ack, Dana! She is too cute!! Congrats on getting to 1 year!! Such a fun milestone!!!

  5. Dana, she is adorable. My 3rd is 9 months now, and it goes so fast! What a crazy ride we are on! I have loved watching her monthly pictures. She really is a doll. 🙂

  6. 8) Lily

    Dana, she is so cute! Happy anniversary! I love her tutu … charming little angel!

    • 9) Diamond

      I love Clara so much…
      Thanks for sharing pics, Dana!

  7. 10) Angela

    She is about the cutest little girl ever. She always make me smile.

  8. Happy Day! Looking at the month by month shots I see that a big change happens between two and three months. My baby is 8 weeks tomorrow- time for a photo shoot! Thanks for the visual reminder. Great pictures as always.

  9. Happy Birthday Clara! She is adorable and they are so much fun at this age.

  10. OOooooooooo!!!!!!!
    She is soooooooooooooo beautiful!
    Count your blessings, Dana!
    Hugs from across the ocean!
    Katrien/Belgium

  11. Happy Birthday, Clara! It’s been fun to watch her grow and change this past year! She reminds me so much of my own little Norah, who turned 1 in December. I think they look similar and I see the same faces in the pictures that Norah makes! 🙂 It’s fun to compare as I’ve followed Clara’s growth! Enjoy!

  12. Aw, Dana, she IS a doll. And those little fat hands. I call them starfish hands. Sigh. I miss my babies’ little fat hands and feet. They’re all slender now. Lovely in a different way, but… sniff. Happy birthday, Clara doll!

  13. Happy birthday sweet Clara! It’s so much fun to watch you grow!!!

  14. Happy birthday!! And congratulation for you Dana! It’s your day too! 🙂

  15. Can’t believe she’s a year old already! Happy birthday, Clara! What a happy looking little cutie. OH and I love how many awesome photos you’ve taken of her, too – who says the third kid’s baby book won’t be full of pictures? 😉

  16. happy birthday sweet girl! that last picture, on the right is just so perfect. she’s going to be such a fun little girl. you also take amazing pictures of her! are you going to do any more updates? carry on the monthly report till she’s 2? 🙂

    • 22) Dana

      Maybe I should!

  17. Muchísimas felicidades para esa preciosidad de niña!
    Un beso

  18. Happy birthday, Clara!
    Wonderful pictures, Dana. Truly wonderful.

  19. Happy Bday Clara, Stay blessed doll and keep being so happy.
    from Toronto, Canada

  20. Happy birthday beautiful Clara! I love the progression pictures. I will have to do this next time around. Love her chunky thighs doing the Frankenstein. Adorable!

  21. These little updates always make me smile. It makes me want to run in and take some more pictures of my kids :).

  22. Happy Birthday Clara!

    Dana: She is just too cute for words! I love the photos of her with her new doll baby. Reminds me of my niece when she was little. She loved babies (real and doll). That was the first word I ever heard her say. Thanks for sharing her growing up photos. Looking forward to many many more. 🙂

  23. Sweet baby… Love the progression pics in same setting!! Doing this with my fifth!

  24. I love the month to month picture in the high chair. I will have to do that with our soon to be little one! Also, thanks for all your tutorials and ideas….they are awesome!

  25. It’s so much fun to look through these pictures. Makes me a tiny little bit broody, haha! It’s just incredible how much she has grown over this year! Happy Birthday Clara!

  26. She is absolutely precious! I’m sure you’re enjoying each moment with her. 🙂

  27. 35) Jackie

    I’ve been waiting for this post. She’s adorable, Dana.

  28. 36) Catherine

    she is absolutely georgous! i love that she loves baby dolls. too cute.

  29. 37) claudia

    remembering so many things from when my own was small…thank you!

  30. I haven’t been following your blog for that long, and I don’t really know you well, but I always love seeing Clara on your posts, no matter what the topic is. Seeing her grow up like this makes me think of my own dear baby girl who is almost 15 months old now. This made me cry, your Clara is so sweet, so cute, so adorable and really reminds me of my own babies. I do miss those little baby days! It’s amazing to watch how fast they grow.

  31. That is EXACTLY how my little guy ate his birthday cake last summer when he turned one! He never used his hands just put his face right in the cake! So cute! They grow so fast!

  32. Oh, heavens-to-betsy, she is just a perfect little bit of squishy baby perfections. And I adore the one year mark. So much adventure waiting just ahead. Thanks for sharing! 😉

  33. 41) country quilter

    I love the way Clara has that loving look at her first baby doll……..I sew American Doll clothes for my grdkids and they love their 18 in. dolls. Even the two nine year olds still play house with the younger kids. Check out all the free patterns on Pinterest when you start making her baby doll clothes. There are plenty of dollie and me clothes also, it keeps me busy for all the birthdays.

  34. 42) Melissa H

    Oh, I’m so glad I stopped by. I haven’t checked your blog in a few months (used to daily for about a year) and I thought this morning, “I have to see the baby” 🙂 She’s precious, thanks for sharing, Happy Birthday to Clara!

  35. Wow a whole year old the pregnancy posts seem like they were just a few months ago, she’s gorgeous and looks like she’s got a sweet personality just like the rest of your family, she’s extra cute in the little hair clips!

  36. 44) Martine

    Happy Birthday, Clara ! You are such a cutie pie.
    Love your pictures ,you smile every time ,such a happy girl.
    Greetings and a big hug from Belgium (Gentbrugge) , Martine

  37. man… just eat her up, hon. she’s beautiful. truthfully, i’m so jealous… i only got my one. and he’s amazing… but what i would do differently if i had realized he was it… oooh, the coddling! LOL!

    happy birthday, sweet Clara!

  38. Oh such a cutie! Wish I could give her a squeeze! I can’t believe she is one already. She reminds me of our lucky third: happy and independent. Such great qualities. Where would our families be without number three?!

  39. 48) dotted

    Congratulations Clara!! She is a beauty. My favorite picture is the one in the bathtube, so lovely.

  40. 49) k

    Oh Dana!! She is SOOO adorable!

  41. 50) Collette

    Happy Belated Birthday Clara! That top picture is FABULOUS!

  42. 51) Erika

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY CLARA YOU ADORABLE PRINCESS

  43. Happy b-day little clara !! May your path be full of lights, laugh, love, rainbows and joys !!
    Froms this side of the world….

  44. 53) Ginger

    Oh man. I already wanted another baby. But now I REALLY do. So precious! My kids are the same–oldest daughter not into babies much, middle son more intense just because he’s MORE in every way, good and bad, my youngest daughter is a little mama to babies, dolls, animals, etc. always telling everyone “it’s ok, I gotcha”. I have worried about babying her too much, not knowing if she might be my last, but honestly I think she is just more caring and compassionate and those aren’t bad things. Enjoy your little toddler!

  45. 54) kelly

    Happy birthday Clara, what a beautiful little soul. 🙂

  46. 55) Petra

    Those gorgeous blue eyes!!! You take beautiful photos, and I’m wondering if you wouldn’t mind sharing the type of camera you use??? 🙂

  47. Happy Birthday Clara!
    That year has seriously flown by.
    I have enjoyed your updates which reminded me how very fast time goes.
    That first year, especially, is gone in a blink.
    She is adorable!
    ~Michelle

  48. 58) Angie

    What a little doll! She is so precious. Where did you get that darling purple dress?

  49. 60) Nina

    She is adorable! Enjoy that precious little bundle. They all seem to grow up so fast. Congrats on a job well done. She seems so happy and joyful.

  50. 61) Anuja

    Happy Birthday little Princess – It has been fun watching you grow up!. Congrats Dana for reaching this milestone.

  51. 62) Deanna J

    Happy Birthday, Clara! Seeing her sweet pictures makes me miss my 14 month old little girl, I don’t think she would appreciate being woke up just so I can snuggle her though! I love the picture of her peeking over the bathtub and of her snuggled into her car seat, so sweet!

  52. 63) azeima

    Congratulations…….what a bright and cheerful smile she got.

  53. 64) Vicky

    What a little sweetie, and it has been fun to watch her growing up this year.

    Thank you for sharing her with us!!!!

  54. Felicidades !!! Como pasa el tiempo !! Y que hermosa está.. Felicidades a las dos.. a la peque y a la mamá tambien.. Besos!!

  55. 66) Kate

    I’ve said it so often, but she is the most adorable little girl. you should be very proud that you produced such a lovely wee sausage!! I LOVE Pic 4. That’s always been my fave.

    Happy (belated now) birthday to Clara. Many more to come!!

    Kate

  56. Just when I think she can’t get any cuter…the most precious baby! And so beautiful like her big sister and mom! Thank you for sharing her with us over the past year. God has truly blessed you and yours. Happy Birthday Clara!

  57. 68) KKann

    Hei Dana

    I love your blogg – and your charming baby-Clara – I have been following you since befor Clara was born. She is adorable. The other kids also. You make so many nice things. Thank you for sharing all the nice tutorials.

    Love from KKann

  58. Awww…I love her! Happy birthday little ONE! 🙂 Clara is one beautiful little soul. It’s been so fun witnessing her first year.

    Natalie is not really into dolls yet! I have been pretty surprised. She loves cars though. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.

    See our babies hit a year ALMOST makes me want another one already. almost. 🙂

  59. Ooh What a doll 🙂 she is so cute.
    Happy B-day.
    Daisy (from a small country named belgium)

  60. YAY Clara!! What a sweetie. So fun to watch her grow and see her personality come out!! 🙂

    I can’t believe how long her hair is!!

  61. Happy Birthday Clara!

    It has been so fun watching her grow and change this year. What an adorable little girl!

  62. She is darling. I laughed out loud at the “animal style” eating. So funny!

  63. 74) neisha

    wow, that was a fast year and I’m it seemed even faster for you! what a doll 🙂

  64. 75) iHeartQuilting

    Aww, Happy Birthday Clara! I love how delicately she is trying to eat the icing off her cupcake.

  65. Happy happy birthday Clara!
    Congrats to you and family on this big milestone!
    Here is to many many more such!

  66. 77) jodie

    happy birthday Clara, you really are too cute! Dana your comments have me laughing when I’m supposed to be working…….hehehe “animal style”….. hope you all have a good Easter x

  67. Oh sweet Clara! I cannot believe she is over a year old!! Seriously. Where in the world did the time go? I can’t wait to meet her and see her fun little personality. I loved the animal style on her birthday cupcake. She made me lol. 🙂 Miss you and your gorgeous family so much.

  68. 79) Talia

    Happy Birthday Clara!

    The pics of Clara with her doll are so cute! Dana please could you share your cupcake recipe and your icing recipe, they look devine!

  69. Sooooooooo cute!!!!
    Happy birthday sweet Clara!!!

  70. Awwww, I cannot believe she is 1! So adorable! Time sure flew by! I have so loved seeing all the wonderful pics of her. So special!

  71. She is SO cute! Every time I see her picture, my little heart yearns to have a baby girl. 🙂

  72. So adorable. Happy Birthday beautiful girl!!!!

  73. 84) Steph

    How adorable! One year always feels like such an accomplishment! Congratulations. And where did you get the adorable doll with the polka dots??

  74. A big kiss for that little one. Adorable pics!

  75. Do you know that I have a one year baby named Clara born on Feb 8th 2012??? Wow!!! I am just waiting to show my Clara your Clara’s pics 😀

  76. 87) Cake

    Happy bday Clara u so cute🙈🙉

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