So much happens in the first year of life, it's hard to capture everything. Here is a brief list of simply the things he does from day to day now, as I hoped I've captured most other milestones along the way in my monthly posts.
- He waves "hi" and "goodbye", and today waved "goodbye" to the dollar store as we were leaving without being prompted
- He signs "all done", sometimes on his own when he is finished his meal
- He has signed "mom" twice to my MIL - once when I was in the next room and once when she was babysitting him, asking for me (so endearing how he misses me!)
- He can also sign "more", "eat", and "milk", which I'm sure I've already mentioned
- He still sucks his thumb between bites at mealtime, when he's getting sleepy, and to help him figure things out
- He doesn't walk yet, but is quickly moving along the furniture and loves to walk holding someone's hands
- He has discovered that he can throw things between the railing down to the stairs and likes pitching stuff off the edge
- He just started getting into everything - especially my purse
- He may finally be ready for some real coloring, because he tried out a Magna Doodle last week at church and looked as though he was enjoying himself
- He is currently fascinated with putting something into something else - paper into his empty shoes, balls into his toy train, etc. He will throw anything that fits (or doesn't fit) into his toy train and then tip the train over to try to get it back out. Very funny to watch.
- He still loves eating baby food, and it's so easy, but we are working on that. He has to eat some of what we are having before getting baby food. Today he ate yogurt with Cheerios, half of a grilled cheese sandwich, applesauce, leftover pizza, baby food, chocolate cupcake.
- He scoots on his bum ALL over the place, and he's getting faster all the time. If there is an obstacle in his way, he quickly goes around it without whining, he rushes to see who it is if he hears the front door open, and comes when I call him, or when I'm trying to get away from him in the bathroom.
- He still gets very upset when I go out the back door to do laundry, crying and scooting to the kitchen thinking that I am abandoning him, poor guy.
- He no longer breastfeeds at all, and doesn't even want to take a drink before bed, just sucks his thumb.
He is so wonderful. I have truly enjoyed every moment of his life so far - I loved his newborn stage and would have stretched it out by at least a few weeks longer if I had the choice - okay, maybe not the night wakings, but the weeks once he started sleeping through the night I would do over in a heartbeat.
I loved him at one month, when he never cried and made such funny faces...
at two months, when he started to be a little more like a human...
at three months, when he started to look so much older than his little newborn pictures...
at four months, when he could sit in his Bumbo to see everything...
at five months, when he became even more curious...
at six months, when he first tasted baby food...
at seven months, when he was big enough to sit in his highchair at meals...
at eight months, when he discovered Cheerios...
at nine months, when he celebrated his first Halloween as a monkey...
at ten months, when he rolled to get around and loved to try and say "mama", like he's doing here:
at eleven months, when he met Santa and hated it...
but still managed to enjoy Christmas morning...
and at his big twelve months,
he's the happiest, most obedient, most gentle, most loving little blue-eyed boy this side of the Milky Way... I have really LOVED every step of the way, and how wonderful it is to get to see him grow up! I love him more each day and can't wait to share so many more birthdays with my little Grant. What's harder to believe than the year that has gone by so quickly is that I ever could have lived without him - life was never as sweet as it is now.
