Satie is starting her second year of life.

She was the guest of honor at her first birthday party today, where she was dazzled by cake, gifts and balloons. So many guests came to celebrate with her that they jockeyed for a clear view whenever Satie was doing something exciting or arrestingly cute.

When the debris from lunch had been cleared away, and the time came for birthday cake to be served, Satie was presented with her very own personal cake, uniquely crafted exclusively for her. She was tentative at first in her interactions with the confection, but as soon as she chanced to taste it, her apprehension melted away and she grabbed for pink icing, matting down her hair with it and smearing it on her mother’s face.

Due in large part to the recent purchase of a bargain-priced oversize picture book of various breeds of puppies, Satie has become infatuated with dogs and the sounds that they make. The slightest suggestion or mere passing observation of a canine or its likeness sends her into a frenzy of barks, woofs and coos. She will point and call out “dog!”, and then commence her emulation of their sound without regard for whatever activity she is currently engaged in, interrupting meals, transit between rooms, bedtime proceedings and more. Her little mouth forming around the “woofs” that she makes is one of the most adorable sights her parents have ever seen.

Due to this escalating interest in dogs and their noises, Satie’s birthday gifts were predominantly animalian in nature, from picture books to plush toys and robotic pets. She now has a healthy stack which she cycles through, growing more wide-eyed with each turn of a page.

With one whole year now under her belt, there is no slowing Satie’s discovery and development, as she tests out new words and explores new wonders daily.