and Twelve...bringing us back to One

Yesterday was Isaac's first birthday!

He has grown so much in the past 12 months, it's hard to believe that the picture of the itty bitty newborn that hangs in his room and that little man in jeans sitting on the bed are the same baby. He has changed so much, and the past year has flown by. Even since last month, he is so different!

He still is not walking, but he sure is trying! This kid is FEARLESS. He climbs over stuff and tries to jump off stuff. He tries to swim in the bath. He flops over on his tummy and puts his face into the water and kicks his legs. He gives me heart attacks routinely, every day. He also tries to do somersaults, putting his head down on the ground and trying to flip his body over his head.

He talks, boy, does he talk! My proudest moment thus far is teaching him to say "Daddy did it." Isaac, who broke this plate? "Daddy did it!" Isaac, who pooped his pants? "Daddy did it!" Ah, the joys! He also says "No Mama!" We are working on please and thank you. He waves and says "hi" and "bub bub." He claps and says "yay!" and squeals.

I love seeing his personality come through, more and more. It amazes me how he is his own little person, with favorite toys, his mannerisms, his expressions. He knows that certain things he does are funny, others are not. His growing comprehension blows my mind. I like to watch him figure out new toys and how he can work them. He figured out how to make the recliner rock, and now he loves to sit in it like a big boy and throw himself back against it to make it rock. He loves to push buttons, both literally and figuratively. He has definately begun to test his boundaries.

I think he is done with purees. I am trying to use up the last of them, creatively. He doesn't like to be fed anymore, he wants to do it all himself. I started giving him his own spoon. He can't really use it yet but he does know food goes on the spoon. He eats more and more big boy food everyday. He loves mac and cheese, toast, pancakes, grilled cheese, litte oranges, chicken nuggets, carrots....he's like his daddy and will eat anything. He has been on whole milk for about a month. He loves it! As happy as I am to be done with nursing, I actually miss it. I miss that closeness and bonding time.

And the kitties...he likes to lay down on top of them to cuddle them. If Guiliani wonders into Isaac's room, Isaac will bee line over to him, grab him, and flop down on him. It's cute, like he's hugging them, but they don't really um...find it so affectionate.

My favorite thing?

He still lets me snuggle him. :) I will take every precious snuggling moment I can get. I will drop everything to snuggle because I know it's fleeting.