To Andrew on your 1st birthday!!

Happy birthday my handsome baby boy. Today marks your transition from "baby" to "toddler." While I have been blogging about your life, and my experiences as a mom, from "day one"... I would like to try and look back and reflect on the collective year. This is one of "those moments" that we are all told to treasure forever, but honestly - its hard to comprehend that we are even here already.
.........

Even from your first day of life we have know that you are a very social little guy. In the beginning you wanted only to be held, all day and all night! Thank God for Nana - who came and held you from 10 pm to 1 am - for a week - so we could get some much needed sleep.


And now, while you love to play on your own, you always make sure there's someone in the room with you. If I step over to the kitchen, you crawl, speedily over to find me. Not so I can hold you - just so you can show me your toys, or talk to me, etc.







You have so many friends both at school and with the babies of my friends. When you see your best friend, Maddy, your face lights up with HUGE smile!!




You have grown so much in one year. Your little arms started off scrawny and with spastic, uncontrolled movements in ever direction - as you try to grab on your play mat for toys. Then we sat, your dad and I, and watched the day you discovered your feet. You grabbed and played with them for 20 minutes, awestruck with your discovery - and so were we! And now you "cruise" around the house - holding on to whatever you can - including Daddy's leg hairs!! And last night - you took your first steps!! ON your birthday!!!













Everything about you changes so very fast - especially your looks. When you first arrived, we coo'd over your bald head and gummy mouth and discussed how we couldn't even imagine you with hair and teeth - and how you would look so strange! And now we marvel over your blond wispy hair and the cute gap between your top two teeth!!













And your personality - oh my! Always so happy, smiley and giggly - even if its your fake "hu-hu" laugh!! But I know that we're in for trouble - as you thew your first tantrum on Sunday!

Gone are the days of "only" crying when you were tired, hungry or needed a change. Now you cry when you want us, when you want a toy we took away, or when you're trying to tell us something and we don't understand.













Like the first time you signed milk. Sitting in your highchair eating dinner. You started grunting and groaning and waving you hand! We couldn't understand why - and then Daddy saw - you were signing for milk!!!

We love to listen to you talk. In the beginning, you slept in our room, and we listened to you grunt all night long. We finally moved you to your own room after about 6 weeks - so we could all sleep better. And now, even though our house is small enough to hear your cry from any corner - I keep the baby monitor on so I can hear your "dada, dada, dada" sighs as you lull yourself to sleep. We can't wait to hear what you voice will sound like!!

And oh, have OUR lives changed in this past year too - but that, my love - is for another story!

I have loved every moment of this past year - can't wait to see what is in store next!! Happy birthday big boy!