This was a big week for our baby! She took three big steps all by herself!  And miracle of all miracles, Sean and I were both sitting there to watch it happen!  She just started walking towards me while we were eating breakfast on Saturday morning.  It was so cute.  She hasn't done it since, but I think its close.  Another adorable thing she's been doing this week is she has this big stuffed owl from Target.  Sean got it for her before she was born.  I always point at it, and say "whoooo, whooooo."  She likes to lay her head down on it and snuggle because its so soft.  I asked her the other day where her owl was, and she looked at it, then said "Whoooo hoooo."  Well, in her own little way.  But its clear that its her interpretation of the owl noise!  It is SO CUTE!  Now we're working on cat and dog noises.  We're not there yet, but working on it.  :)  Gia is still waking up at 11 or so then going back to sleep until morning.  I guess it works okay for us, but I sure would love it if she would just sleep through the night already!  Gia is really loving books now.  She sits and pulls every single book out of her bin, looking through each and every one as she does.  Today, she climbed up in my lap with a book in her hand and let me read it to her.  She is really growing up... I just can't believe it.  I am in a frenzy of getting stuff ready for her birthday party, which we are having this weekend ( a week early so family can be there), and we went to Hobby Lobby to buy her last two week picture fabrics.  I cannot believe this little year-long project is coming to an end!  We are so incredibly blessed.  Tonight, Sean and I were talking and both got teary-eyed just realizing how blessed we truly are with her.