One Year

Dear Sam,

Today we celebrate your first year of life.  How can that be possible?  In some ways it seems like just yesterday that you were placed in our arms, and in other ways it seems as if you have been a part of our family forever.  I think first birthdays are a milestone for the whole family, and we are so excited that it is you we celebrate today.

At your well-check you weighed 22 pounds 11 ounces and were 30.5 inches long.  Your clothes range in size between 12-18 months.  I recently measured your foot myself and determined that you were a 4.5, but when the shoes arrived today that proved incorrect.  Perhaps you are closer to a 4.  You wear a size 4 diaper.

Your eating habits remain the same, but we will soon be making the transition to whole milk and then cutting out the bottles.  I don't know how that transition will go.  You drink tons of water from your cup but aren't interested in formula in there.  I'm in no hurry for the bottles to go {especially your bedtime one} but it's time.  You continue to eat mainly stage 2 food.  I bought a few more stage 3 meals and have been waiting to make sure you felt better as stage 3 initially made you throw up.  You have tried a variety of foods, so I just really need to work harder at it.  Table food seems to take longer and it looks like you eat less.  Perhaps the issue is all the teeth.  You are cutting your 12th tooth, which happens to be your 4th molar.  Those have been kind of tough, causing some fevers and occasional fussiness.  Your sister had 4 teeth on her first birthday, so this has come as a huge surprise to me.

Sleeping remains the same with bedtimes, wake times, and naps.  These molars have caused several weeks of off and on early rising, but if we take you a pacifier you'll go back to sleep or just lay quietly.  We rock before naps and bed but you have been putting yourself to sleep for the longest time.

You continue to be busy and on the move.  You will crawl on your hands and knees but always go back to the army crawl.  You are cruising more and more now that you pull up on everything and will push walking toys for short distances.  You can stand for a few seconds but don't initiate it on your own.  You are climbing the steps, and I'm afraid you're going to be a climber.  You climb in Avery's PBK chair to get to the end table, and today you were trying to climb onto the table.  I think you will exhaust me but it's so interesting to see you becoming your own little person.  You seem to be becoming frustrated now when you can't move like you want to, either because you are not allowed or because you can't.  You give kisses on demand, wave goodbye when you feel like it, and have started clapping.  Hiding behind Ducky {or anything} and waiting for someone to say "Where's Sam?" has been a favorite game for months.  "Uh oh" is the only recognizable word other than babbling mama and dada, but you talk a lot and engage in back and forth conversation.

You play with anything and everything.  You really like the pots from Avery's kitchen and the bottles of orange juice and ketchup.  The castle was lots of fun for you, and now that we've taken it down for awhile, you are enjoying the tent.  You go in and out any opening you can find, or you just pull the tent up and scoot in or out.  I love to watch you inspect things, turning them over and over then giving them a shake for good measure.  I can't wait to see what the summer will bring with water tables, pools, and outdoor adventures.

If you are fussing we know something is wrong, because you're pretty content.  A pacifier and Ducky usually calm you right down if something is wrong.  I think you are the cutest thing with your pacifier, so don't worry about me taking it anytime soon.  I also love to see you loving Ducky.  You especially love to rub his tag across your face.

Sam, you have been such a blessing to us this year.  I thank God each day for choosing us as your family and also for allowing you to arrive safely and on time.  There was a time when we thought you might be coming much too early, so that answered prayer is never far from our minds.  Mommy, Daddy, and Avery love you more than you will ever know.  We all eagerly await seeing who you'll continue to become as you grow and change.  We'll be celebrating your life with our sweet family and friends Saturday, and I hope you never forget how lucky you are to have so many people who love you.

We love you to bits and pieces!
Mommy and Daddy