Who Let My Baby Get Big?

I realize that Alex turned one on December 26th, and I'm just now getting around to posting it in mid-January. There are two reasons...

1) I am in denial. He can't be one. Not possible.

2) We just celebrated his birthday on Sunday.

My baby boy sure has changed a lot in the past year! He is no longer a helpless little bundle in our arms. He has words, signs, expressions, and opinions. He is curious, energetic, and fun. He is a climber, a fast crawler, and a trouble-finder. He makes us laugh every single day.

I cuddled a 6 month old in nursery a few weeks back, and she just seemed so tiny and helpless. Only 6 months ago, that was my Alex? Wow. There are moments that drag, but time sure flies!

So, my big boy, here's a quick "year in review" of some of my favorite photos from your first year...in reverse order, to shrink you ;)

December 2008

November 2008

October 2008

September 2008 August 2008

July 2008

June 2008

May 2008

April 2008

March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 27, 2007

Words at 12.5 months:

• mama (I'm always Mama)
• daddy (dah-dee or 'mom', who knows why...)
• nana
• grandma (sometimes mamma, sometimes gamma)
• papa
• cracker (crahkuh, which really refers to anything he wants to eat)
• cup-cup (kuh-kuh, not to be confused with cracker)
• car (kah)
• truck (kuck)
• milk (guck)
• up (bup)
• bath (but he only said this one night)
• bye bye (Bah Bah)
• Maggie (inconsistently, sometimes 'Maggie', sometimes 'puppy')
• vroom-vroom (voom-voom)
• Yay (only once in a while)
• Bob (says it all the time, but it doesn't mean anything to us)

Signs at 12.5 months:

• milk
• more (just started yesterday)
• please (but won't use it at the right time)
• bye-bye/hi
• all done

Favorite Foods:

• graham crackers/teddy grahams
• club crackers
• spaghetti/mostaciolli
• rice
• froot loops
• pears
• bananas
• applesauce
• sloppy joe meat
• jelly on wheat bread
• still not a big cup-cup fan, but will drink watered-down white grape juice
• loves spicy foods, strange baby! I love how the baby books tell you not to add spices to a baby's food. They don't know Alex.

Favorite Toys:

• Fisher Price musical table
• cars, trucks, and all things with wheels (he's lovin' the new train, Aunt Deb)
• cell phones & remotes (sigh)
• musical piano (which he's only allowed to use while I take a shower, so it's a novelty and he lets me take a 20 minute shower!)
• wood blocks (but only because they go "bang" when you hit them together)
• He plays with most of his toys, but the above list is definitely getting most of his attention right now.
  

Favorite Things To Do:

• Look at the picture of Nana on the fridge & call her by name (20 times a day or more!!)
• Look at the family pictures hanging in the front hallway and smile at everyone
• try to play with the dehumidifier when Mama's not looking
• open the kitchen drawer & pull out all the clean towels & washcloths
• grab the cordless phone off the end table
• clap his hands when he hears cheering or sees clapping on TV
• watch his "Signing Times" video (2 or 3 times a week at most)
• watch "Yo Gabba Gabba" (1 or 2 times a week at most)
• crawl around with Daddy
• turn on/off the CD player in his bedroom
• climb, even if he has to stack his toys and climb them
• push a kitchen chair in front of him to walk through the kitchen (or stand outside his walker & push it, or push his musical table while walking, etc.)
  
  
  Random:
• takes 2 naps a day, about 45 minutes to an hour each
• sleeps from 8/8:30 PM until 7-ish AM, waking around 5 AM to nurse
• He is go, go, go all day long
• He is often complimented for being a very good baby in waiting rooms, restaurants, etc. We'll see how long that lasts!
• loves to hear stories before naptime
• loves to dive headfirst off of our laps, off of our bed, etc.
• curious about everything - must touch it, try it, see it, hold it, etc. Seems to want to know how everything works
• still allergic to milk, as far as we can tell. He had allergy testing done last week, and we're still waiting on the results, but I'd say hives & eczema are pretty good signs of an allergy
• 18.6 lbs at one year, smaller than his doctor would like, but blood tests show he is healthy
• using his 'big boy' car seat, although it's still rear-facing until he hits 20 lbs
• just started waking happily in the morning, talking in his crib, rather than crying for us
• loves to grocery shop with Mama, babbling loudly all the way through the store while people watching
• loves to see babies & kids on TV