Happy Birthday!

Mom here. I'm taking over your blog to wish you a HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY!!! But first, someone will have to explain to me how a year has passed already. I can still remember Daddy driving as fast as he could through the snow and getting the call from Ashley that you had arrived. I can still remember running around the hospital at the crack of dawn, trying to find an entrance that was open. I can still remember walking into that hospital room and seeing you lying under the heat lamp. I wanted to memorize every inch of you at that moment. To count your fingers and toes and peek under your hat to see if you had any hair. And to snuggle you close and tell you how much I love you.


As much as I can't believe it, somehow a year has passed. You've learned to sit up then crawl and now walk. You've found your voice which sounds surprisingly like a scream. You've joyfully endured colds and bruises and even the chicken pox. You've been swimming and sledding (sort of) and swinging. You've made new friends. And so much more! It's amazing how much learning and growing you've done in just one year.

Since I want to freeze this moment in time just like the day you were born, I'm making a list all about you at one year old:

• Your favorite foods are applesauce, spaghetti and pancakes with mommy's special berry sauce.
• You prefer to pick up cereal with your left hand. I wonder if you're going to be left handed like your birthdad.
• You can hold your bottle and you can use a sippy cup at meal times. I wonder how you will feel about giving up the bottle altogether.
• While you'll eat just about anything, you are starting to show distinct preferences. The face you make when you don't like something makes me giggle.
• Your giggle is the best sound in the world.
• We can have a conversation where I say "hiiiiii" and you respond with a similar melody but different lyrics. Your version sounds like a happy little scream.
• While you haven't uttered a consonant yet, your favorite sounds are "oooooo" and "aaaaaahhhhh".
• You scream when you're happy or just want to talk. Some people find this annoying. Your daddy and I think it's adorable.
• People comment on your mouthful of teeth a lot. And your beautiful blue eyes. You get those from your birthmom.
• You have 16 teeth. The molars were the hardest on you but you are a teething champ!
• Your hair is getting thicker but starting to look like a baby toupee. It's longer on top and still sparse and short across the back and over your ears.
• You've never met a stranger. Though you now like to act shy for a minute, everyone is your friend. I think the shy routine is part of your flirting.
• You don't sit still very often. You're usually running from one room to the next.
• You've endured a number of bruises as you've learned to walk. We hear "pat - pat - pat - pat-pat-pat-pat-pat-patpatpatpatpatpat SPLAT." Sometimes you cry, other times you get up and do it all again.
• You're a bit of a daredevil. Though you haven't quite figured out how to climb up on things, you've found lots of other limits to stretch.
• You find the dishwasher incredibly interesting. Anytime you hear it open, you run to investigate.
• You love to "watch" the cd player. (Yes, you read that correctly.) You stand and stare at it periodically.
• You particularly love to listen to people talk on cd's. Dan Zane is a favorite as is Raffi and Laurie Berkner.
• You enjoy the occasional Baby Genius or Baby Einstein video. The dragon puppet that says "blah" in the Baby Mozart video makes you smile.
• Puppets are your newest favorite toys. You'll pick one up and bring it to us if you want to play with it.
• You like it when the puppets play peek-a-boo, tickle you or nibble on your fingers.
• Your other favorite toys are those that you can hit or spin. You've mastered the technique of putting a ball in the spiral ramp.
• When you play catch with a ball, you have to put it in your mouth before you throw it.
• Your feet go crazy when you're excited. I call them your happy feet. They kick wildly when you eat something you like or when we tell you how well you threw the ball.
• You've started picking things up and shoving them at us before taking them back. You and some other kids were doing this with balls at Gymboree too. Are you learning to share?
• Your tummy, armpits, neck, thighs and feet are ticklish. But any nibbling of your fingers or toes really makes you crack up.
• When I stand you in front of the tub and turn on the water at bath time, you whip around and grab my legs. I think you're trying to tell me to pick you up and put you in the tub NOW!
• You've started standing up in the tub and aren't happy when we tell you to sit.
• You like to sing songs in the tub. Especially songs with hand motions like the Itsy Bitsy Spider or the alphabet in sign language.
• You haven't quite figured out this sign language thing yet. You still look at us comically with a tilted head when we sign with you.
• You don't like to ride in the cart at the grocery store but will happily hang out in the Ergo carrier while we shop.
• You are a sleeping champion too. You've spoiled us by sleeping through the night from about 12 weeks old. I worry that I may jinx it by writing that down.
• You are still taking two naps which I greatly appreciate.
• You typically wake up joyfully with singing and happy screams. But if we wake you up, you are one crabby little man.
• You like to stay on a routine for the most part.
• You are generally a happy, easy-going boy.
• You change and learn and grow every day. Sometimes right before our eyes.

I can't wait to see what you do next. But would you mind slowing things down a bit? At this rate, you'll be driving and dating before I know it. Eek!

I love you Ian! Happy birthday!!