ONE

Dear Linus Alexander,

You are a year old now. (Well technically you are a year and nearly two weeks old now because mommy has fallen off the blogging wagon, but whatever...) You are such an amazing little guy. I can't tell you how often you make me laugh. I go teary thinking about how much I love you at least once a day. It blows my mind to think how much you have changed in the last 12 months, and then how much you will change in the coming years.

How things have changed! (L- At the Manchester Museum on March 1, 2013; 

R- At NMGH on March 1, 2012)

You are so fast at cruising and will take a few unsupported steps if pressed, but are rarely happy about it. You seem quite cautious and content to keep crawling until you are sure you have walking nailed. You still love to blow kisses and have started to give unsolicited smoochies. Those are the best. You are very sweet, you know. You love to play peek-a-boo and are getting really good at holding blankets/your shirt/my shirt/anything in front of your face and then pulling it away with a big grin. You are also pretty good at knowing that the duck says "quack quack". We're working on other animal noises, but duck is your first one. You also have the hang of putting shapes on rings. 

Eating is still pretty good. You have days of being a bit more picky, but I just ride it out and keep offering a mix of healthy foods. You still haven't had any meat or chicken (you eat fish though). I'd say bananas and cheese are your favorites. I wonder how many bananas you would eat if you kept going after one! You had your very first sweet (other than fruit) for your birthday. You ate up your chocolate cake like crazy!! Don't worry though, it was very healthy. I made it with sugar substitute Xylitol and black beans. I used this recipe. Daddy and I both agreed that it was very tasty. You are still having 3 breastmilk feeds a day. I don't have a real plan to wean you yet. I figure I'll introduce cow's milk and see what happens. I'd be happy for you to drop your afternoon feed and just do first thing in the morning and last thing before bed, but we'll see. The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding until 2, so I figure as long as I am happy and you are happy we'll keep at it.

Sleep is still great at night and not great during the day. On my birthday (Feb 10th) I was wondering aloud when you would drop to 1 nap. The next day, as if by magic, you refused to take your morning nap. Looking back, you'd been having a bit of trouble going down at night for a week or so before. I assume it was because you were in the process of transitioning to 1 nap. Now that you are down to 1 nap, I really will get busy on getting you to nap in your crib. Pinky swear.

It should come as no surprise that you and Daddy are still part of the world's cutest mutual admiration society. I mean you like me a whole lot. Especially when you want milk. But Daddy is your favorite. And he's such a softie. I am sure I'll have to be the heavy on a few things when you are older. 

You really are beautiful. And it's not just us that thinks so. Strangers frequently come up to us and tell us how lovely/gorgeous/beautiful you are. It's not just physical, either. When you start flirting, it's a rare person that isn't charmed by your sweet smiles and gasping laugh. You have sweetness in your heart, which shines through that adorable face. There isn't a more lovely sound in the world than your laughter.

Oh my sweet boy! I can't wait to see what the next year holds. You are the most fun. The sweetest. The most wonderful little guy I could imagine and I am truly blessed to be your mommy.

I love, love, love you.

Mommy

(Dear readers, I'm working on rebuilding my blogging mojo which has been on hiatus. I'm coming back. For real. Pinky swear. Don't give up on me.)