One Year!

Yes, it happened! Miles turned one on Sunday and I have been spending the last couple of days looking around in a dazed fashion and blinking confusedly wondering how on earth it is possible that my baby boy has been around for one whole year.

First, let's do a little look back, a side by side comparison. Just for fun (Ok, ok, and also to make myself more nostalgic than I already am...).

4 days old, 6 lbs-ish

365 days old, 20 lbs-ish

It's hard to see at first glance, but if I squint a little bit I can still see that tiny, squishy baby in my big, busy baby.

So, what have you been up to this month, Mr. Miles?

*You have officially taken a few unassisted steps several times now.  You still prefer crawling as it is a MUCH faster mode of transportation for the time being, though you do spend lots of time walking along things and walking while hanging on to Momma and Daddy's fingers.

*You also started climbing in the last week or two.  You were playing with your tub of blocks the other day and we were working in the kitchen.  When we looked over at you, you were up on the couch looking very smug about figuring out how to tip over the block tub and use it as a stepping stone.  Anything that you are able to throw your little knee up onto is fair game, though...

*You are still sleeping very well at night.  You usually nurse and go to bed sometime between 7:30 and 8:30 and sleep until about 5:30.  Then you get up, nurse, and go back to bed for another couple of hours.  You used to fall back asleep in bed with us for that last couple of hours and we got a little snuggle time.  We're kind of bummed because in the last few weeks you refuse to go back to sleep in our bed and fuss and cry and carry on until Daddy takes you back to your crib.  As soon as he puts you down, you roll over and go back to sleep.  Guess you like your own sleeping space...  Naps are still a work in progress.  Sometimes one nap, sometimes two.  Sometimes 45 minutes at a time, sometimes 2.5 hours at a time.  You pretty much always lay down in your crib without a fuss now and fall asleep on your own.

*You have started dragging the nursing pillow over to me when you want to nurse.  It is super adorable, but also very funny because the pillow is as big as you are and usually when you're trying to do it, you are fussing in the midst of it.

*You give smoochies now (if you're so inclined, that is...) and they are slobbery and sloppy and completely wonderful!

*You continue with your love for the dishwasher, clapping, bath time, and eating (especially anything that someone else is eating).

*You LOVE the little kitchen that we got you for your birthday and spend lots of time every day stirring up all kinds of things in your little pot and pan.  You think it is especially hilarious when you shove the fork near my face and I say "Nom nom nom...Oh Miles, that is DELICIOUS!!"  :)

*You go to bed each night with whatever shirt I wore that day.  We discovered this by a fluke a couple of months ago, but it really does settle you down for the night.  The funny part is that you have started to carry them around with you during the day and if you come across "your" shirt that you left lying around the house somewhere, you will often pick it up in your teeth and carry it around in your mouth like a little puppy (sometimes complete with growling!).

*You started taking swimming lessons this month and you LOVE them!  Every time it is your turn to have a swim with the teacher, you launch yourself toward him.  Then, after you come up from the water and back to me, you give a high five and splash and shriek and want to do it again.  You really are a little fish.  I think if you could have swimming lessons every day you would be on cloud nine.  (Momma loves swimming lesson day, too, because you always take an extra long nap after working so hard!)

*You are such a happy baby!  You smile and laugh and clap all the time, which makes us do the same.  (Well, ok, you scream like a banshee if you are not getting food quickly enough or if we take sometime from you that you were not ready to give up, but other than that...)  You really are our sunshine!

Miles, this year has flown by and I am so, so glad that I have had the chance to spend it all with you.  I love watching you change and learn and grow up before my eyes.  This year has made me know for sure that being a momma, your Momma, is what I was meant to do.  You are such a part of me, like you've always been there.  Maybe you always have.   As bittersweet as it is that this year is gone, I am so looking forward to what this year (and the years after) will bring.  I am excited to see you learn to walk and talk and wave bye-bye and a million other insignificant-to-the-world-but-monumental-to-you things.

There's a book that I read to you before you go to bed called "I Love You So..." by Marianne Richmond and one of the pages always makes me a little teary because it is so pefectly true:

"I can't imagine life
before you came along.
You are the music
to my dance and my song.

I am meant for you,
and you are meant for me,
the one I love forevermore.
Undeniably."

Miles, I love you so, so much my sweetest boy.  Happy, happy birthday, my baby!