Happy Birthday, Chuck!

I meant to post this yesterday but was too tired....

We made it to one year!!! If taking a picture of a one year old ( while trying to get his face and shirt in the picture) isn't the hardest thing, I don't know what is. Out of about 50 pictures taken today, these were the most decent.... really.

A year ago today, our lives changed forever. Over the past year, we have learned what unconditional love really is.

It is amazing how much someone can learn in one short year. Both of us.....

Chuck is talking up a storm. Just in the past weeks, we have added the "g" sound and the "n" sound to our repertoire. He is saying kitty cat, puppy dog ( and barking). He asks for his baba and calls his daddy.... Da. When I say Samer and Molly, he immediately says kitty cat so he knows who they are. "Up" is still a word used a lot, even though "mama" is never muttered. Yesterday, I would have sworn on my next paycheck that he said "thank you" which we have been practicing when playing with toys. He likes to play with his and other people's "bebo" (bellybutton). He nods his head yes, until this morning he has started shaking it "no" when you say "yes". His daddy confused him the other night on that one. In the last two weeks he has started pointing at everything. I remember when we were so excited that he figured out how to get his fingers apart from each other. Now I sometimes wish I could stick that little finger back in. He is starting to say "this" when he points.... yes we are at the stage where we name every noun we see. Any music playing means that there is swaying going on ( and sometimes if you are lucky, a little booty dancing).

He has two good friends at daycare, Jordan and Garrett. We love daycare even though in the mornings we don't necessarily like mom to leave. Even if we do shed a tear, usually the only last about 10 seconds before he is dancing to the music.

Chuck is starting to convert to all "real" people food at home and testing some real food at daycare. All kinds of foods are loved including tofu ( which he had for his birthday dinner). Sippy cups are a work in progress. Chuck can drink out of them but still isn't a perfectionist. Naps are still not our friends at daycare which makes for a good night of sleep from 6pm to 6am. We are officially sleeping through the night with about one hiccup per week. We did it without having to really cry it out. Chuck just fell naturally into his routine. I am so glad that at 3 months I just decided that a routine would be made by him and he was in charge. Motherhood is much more enjoyable.

He is starting to help dress himself by putting his arms in the shirt sleeves for me. He (thankfully) is not crying when he has to get dressed. We had a few weeks where putting arms into shirts were about the hardest part of our day.

It is amazing to watch Chuck's face when he is playing. I just wish I could hear the thoughts going through his head. The eyebrows and facial expressions say it all! It is great to sit and watch him figure something out. He adores his wagon and his daily wagon ride. His car is still a favorite of his to push and also to practice climbing on. Chuck will stand without holding onto anything but gets a little nervous when trying to move. He could walk if he wasn't so antsy. We are just waiting for the confidence to show up and then we will be off! Bath times are still fun but it is not his favorite thing when he had a long day at daycare.

Now on another note....

I have learned that the things you put in plugs for safety can easily be removed by a 11 month and 26 day old little dude. I have also learned that I work better off of 4 hours of sleep than 8 hours of sleep. Always have a bottle ready to be mixed for promptly sticking in a mouth. Always clear the blankets and toys from the middle of the crib before he actually falls asleep on you. Never get dressed for work until you are about to actually put the child in the car. A rolling high chair is a MUST have so you can just roll that little fellow behind you while getting ready in the morning. My house will never actually be totally clean. We grow out of a toy almost everyday which has increased trips to the attic. The baby would rather have anything of ours instead of a toy. Freedom comes when you don't have to involve yourself in the nightly ritual of bottle washing. A shower without the shower curtain open and someone watching you is very seldom. A third arm could really come in handy. Life is much easier when you let the baby do whatever he wants to do with his schedule. Grocery shopping will never again be easy ( ok, maybe when they get old enough to stay home by themselves). I am that mom with cheerios all over her car that I swore I would never be. It is more exhausting to go on vacation. I need a vacation to recuperate from my vacation..... staying at home is a lot more relaxing than going somewhere. With a baby and a husband who is a resident, stuff will never go as planned. Once you have graduated from having to use the bathroom with a baby on your lap, you move to having to use the bathroom with a baby trying to push you off the toilet so he can touch the water. Cats like puffs and are somewhat of a good vacuum. Mealtime is much more successful when done in solely a diaper. The snooze button will never be pushed again. When baby says "up mama".... he means now.

Well, I must leave you now to wash bottles in fear Mr. Destructo will randomly wake up and want one. BY the time I finish, it will be 9 o'clock and that is painfully late.