William at 12 Months

As of this morning, William now weighs 20lbs 12oz, has a head circumference of 18", and is 30 1/2" long.

William is one year old today! I feel like I blinked and a year suddenly flew past. Where did all of that time go?!? I still look at his growing, healthy body every day and think, "I MADE that body!" It never ceases to amaze me, what a miracle it is to create life. From one tiny speck, into this cruising, climbing kid with a sassy personality!

 
Not much has changed between this month and last. His personality continues to develop though, and with that comes much entertainment. This kid just cracks me up! He now makes kissing sounds and waves bye bye. But only to strangers, never to Michael or I. He constantly walks around doing fish lips and clacking his tongue, and thinks farts and fart sounds are hilarious (doesn't every boy? Hell, I think they are too!). If he wants you to pay attention to him, he will shriek louder and louder until you do. When he is really excited about something, or wants more of something, he will lift his arms in the air and flap both hands up and down really fast. And lastly, for some reason, he loves to smell people (especially Michael or I). Maybe its a comfort thing or maybe its a learning thing, but he sniffs me every chance he gets!

In the sleeping department, he is till taking a two hour morning nap and a 1-2 hour afternoon nap (10a-12p and 2:30p-4/4:30p). And just recently he has finally learned to go to sleep without me rocking him. I thought we had it down a month ago, but we had a relapse and I had to go back to rocking him until he was drowsy (I waited until he closed his eyes, and as soon as his eyes had closed for at least 30 seconds, I'd put him in his crib). Its a relief (and a time saver) to just be able to put him straight into his crib!




Another cute thing is that every night I read him two or three stories, and let him pick the book. Its so adorable to watch him thinking about the decision, then leaning forward and tapping whichever book he wants to read with his hand. Its also clear that he has developed preferences, as he will select the same book over and over. I can tell that he is really listening and learning during reading time. We read a book about farm animals together, and when I say "the cow goes Mooo," William says "moo" too! Since reading time is always a precursor to bed time, he associates the two and gets all relaxed as we read. He will lean his head so that its resting on my chest, and listen as I read, then help me to turn the pages. He often wants to read the same book before every nap (Babar Bedtime), and will have a fit if I don't offer that book as an option. He still has a pretty short attention span, so the books have to be simple and short, but thats ok. I have always loved to read, and I hope the same will be true for him!

Recently I was thinking about all of the things that I will remember from this first year with William:

• The 'eh eh eh' sound he'd make when he was hungry

• Opening his mouth for anything that came toward it and being ready to eat, pretty much any time 

• The GIANT bottles he would take, even as a tiny baby (he was taking full, 10oz bottles when he was 4 months old!)

• That sweet, milky smell of his breath

• The newborn smell of his little head

• The way he sucks his toes for comfort 

• Wanting to stand so badly, from the get-go

• Playing the "hey" game, where I look away, then turn my head really fast to look back at him, while saying "hey." It always sends him into a fit of giggles.

• What a good sleeper he is, during both naps and nighttime

There are so many other things, too many to list. I just hope that I will always remember this first year of being a parent, and that it doesn't get washed away with the sands of time. I feel so, so blessed to have gotten the chance to get pregnant with this little boy, and to be his mom. Its a privelige to get to know him, raise him, teach him right from wrong, and eventually, send him out into the world. I'm not quite ready to think about that last part though. The mere thought sends me into tears (which Michael laughs at). Luckily I still have at least another 17 years in which to enjoy having my son in my home, and I plan on doing just that!