One Year

My baby turned one year old on Friday.

My BABY turned ONE YEAR old on Friday. What a year it has been. I already feel bad that I haven't blogged as frequently as I did during Libby's first year, but I am so thankful at the same time, that I still have the blog to record so many highlights of the year, our thoughts about things and phases that he and Libby have gone through. So thank you, reader, for keeping me accountable.

My boo head baby is such a the sweetest guy. He is a cuddly love and I think no one in this house can really remember what our lives were like without his sweet expressions, smiles and many and varied sounds that have kept us smiling and laughing together. In addition to our children themselves, watching the relationship between Matthew and Libby grow has been one of the greatest blessings. They look out for one another, light up when the other is around, entertain each other (and us) and keep us collectively on our toes. Oh the expressions of love that go on daily. Even with my smartphone, I can't begin to capture them all. I just try to tuck away the feelings in my heart.

My little guy is friendly. He loves to wave. He has FOUR teeth! He says, "Bye bye" the most, but also "Dada," "Mama," and more. The newest word, perfect for fall, is "apple." He kind of whispers it, "A-puhl."

He loves his sister the BEST. But he has a big old, loving heart and shows everyone regularly, with smiles, or by resting his head on your leg or shoulder, hugging whatever part of you he can get and putting his head on it, or by giving big kisses or squeezes with his tiny hands.

He can go up with stairs quickly if he's trying to be sneaky, but if you're right behind him, Matthew stops to look up and let you kiss him after every step or two.

He loves dairy. Yogurt and cheese are tops in his book. He's pretty good with most foods. But he does not like roasted broccoli much. He also doesn't shove as much food in his mouth at once the way Libby did - or let you shove it it (though, in fairness, that was the only way to get her to finish eating before it was time for the next meal), but he does shovel it in fairly constantly. He also prefers to hold his own cup, which can make for a challenge. Earlier today I let him, and the next thing I know, the cup, with all of the water previously in it, was on the ground.

He likes to pretend to stir things with a spoon and bowl, he loves music and dancing (on his own or in your arms) and he really loves Little People animals and characters, in addition to cars, trucks and buses. He loves for you to read to him. He also enjoys his shape-sorters!

So, I was away for work on Friday morning, but zipped home as quickly as I could in order to arrive before his nap so I'd have a minute or two with him and get to read and rock him before nap time. I made it in time!

Michael got home early, too! So as soon as we were ready, we went to dinner to celebrate (Matthew chose Mexican with Libby's assistance). And we came home to celebrate by opening gifts and sharing his birthday brownie. We can't let him have his first cake until his party on Saturday. Now, if you count cinnamon rolls, pancakes, waffles and the like... it also wasn't his first "sugar." However, I do believe it was his first chocolate! And definitely his first brownie. He was pretty excited about it.

Matthew loved his birthday gifts. Libby helped him with opening them, and he got some real treasures that he's already loving, including his new Mega Bloks, a Little People fire station complete with truck, fireman and dalmatian, some socks that he was very excited about, a new outfit, his own signed copy of "House Mouse, Senate Mouse," a little fire man guy that you push down and he zips forward (a family heirloom/antique!), "Little Blue Truck Leads the Way," and he got his own new straw sippy cup that he is absolutely loving and features Elmo.

Then, it was on to brownie-ville. Matthew knew straight away that this was something that he wanted.

And tried to take the candle, too. Thankfully, due to raising him, my reflexes are nearly heightened to the level of Spiderman. I have Spidey-Mama-sense! Seriously, I am pretty quick with cathing things these days.

Then, we needed to re-pose the photo with Daddy. He was not a fan of having his treat moved away (which was the only way to keep him from shoving it all into his mouth.)

Need... IT. NOW!!!

Victory is mine!

What? This is mine, and it's good.

Thank you, Daddy.

And here was after the cruel moment that Mama took the brownie away, and broke it apart, just giving me a few bites...

(Sorry guy, but  huge amounts of first chocolate right at bedtime was not a winning formula.)

IS this all?

Anyway, he loved it and he has cake coming on Saturday. Can't wait to see that happen!

Plus, with just the amount he had, since he thought he was so grown and all, he already seemed to think that he could rock out all night. Probably at least 20 minutes after he went to bed, we could still hear him rocking out to his crib aquarium.

I love this dude, big time. Happy Birthday, Bouckie!