<b>By Pamela Brownstein</b>

I don’t know if there’s a scientific phenomenon that causes the earth to spin faster and the hours and days to go by so quickly, or it’s just a symptom of getting older, either way, I feel like the past year has flown by.

This time last year I was sitting in my hospital bed at Beaufort Memorial holding a one-day old baby girl in my arms, grateful for her beauty and perfection, and even more grateful to be done with the nine months of pregnancy.

Although I remember details about that day with surprising clarity, I feel like I can’t remember specifics about the entire year that followed. Seriously, I can’t believe my baby just turned 1. She always looked so little compared to her big 2-year-old brother, but now she’s so close to walking, she’s right there with him defending her territory, taking his toys, trying to eat his food off the plate, and looking up at her parents with her big bright eyes and adorable smile filled with four teeth.

My sweet Selah has gone from an easy-going infant to a spunky chick seemingly overnight. I would describe her as a pistol, a character, energetic, silly and so smart. She has so many looks and expressions, you can just see the wheels turning inside her fuzz-covered head.

When she doesn’t get what she wants and throws herself on the floor dramatically, it’s hard not to laugh. But then I see the future and know that we’re totally in for it because I also see the past and know that I used to do the same thing. My husband’s favorite phrase when she’s acting naughty or sly is “she comes by it honestly; she’s just like her mom.”

I can’t slow down time or reverse it, so I am trying to enjoy my amazing girl as she is now. I wish her all the happiness that can fill one’s heart with joy and wonder, just as she has filled my heart with love that grows deeper each day.