I was going to write a Happy Birthday post yesterday, but I got sidetracked watching all the video clips of John from then until now. I can hardly remember how small he was, all the little sounds he made, how jerky his movements were. At this point I can barely even remember a time when he didn't sit or stand, and stayed in one place when I put him down. Those precious, delirious brand-new-mom moments of marveling at his quivery little chin and nursing him to sleep. You realize they're changing fast, but never quite how fast. Suddenly it's his first birthday and you're watching him toddle circles around you and wondering how you got here.
We spent the actual birthday going to the doctor for John's 12 month check-up. He's now able to stand on the adult scale by himself instead of needing the infant one. The official recorded weight was 20 pounds, but that was with all his clothes, diaper, and jacket on -- I'm going with the 19 pounds 2 ounces that we got at home last night in his birthday suit. He's still hanging on the weight chart between the 5th and 10th percentile. His height is now 30 inches, which is right about average. That's about 10.5 pounds and 9 inches gained since he was born. The doctor pronounced him right on track and in good health. A little skinny for his height, that's undeniable, but he's still holding steady and that's the important thing.
On Saturday we celebrated his first first birthday party (his second first birthday party will be next weekend with my side of the family -- now that my parents have returned from Hawaii). John's aunts (Joe's sisters) came from Florida and Pennsylvania to be there, and his godparents drove in from Ohio with their 4 kids. Plus Grandma and Grandpa, Uncle John and his girlfriend, Sean and Emily with their 3 little ones, and our newlywed friends Jon and Jamie. All told, 15 adults and 8 kids under age 6. We had tons of food, balloons, stickers, and a huge chocolate cake shaped like a monster. I think everyone had fun, including the birthday boy, who in spite of having a bit of a cold managed to smush 3 pieces of cake all over his face and chest. He still doesn't quite have the hang of the gift-opening thing, but luckily had no shortage of helpers choosing the next gift for him each time and showing him the proper way to rip them open. He was thoroughly spoiled by everyone, of course. :) He did very well with all the people and noise, considering we're generally a pretty quiet bunch.
I can't think of all the new things he's done recently, there are too many to count. He likes to blow bubbles in his drinks and wants to try everything Joe or I is eating or drinking. He sleeps for an 8-hour stretch most nights these days, finally. He loves to go outside; he points to the windows, and runs to the door and bangs on it. He knows socks go on his feet and brushes his own hair at bedtime. The biggest one (for me) is "Mama". He's been making the sound for a few days, though not with any frequency (he still mostly refers to me as "dat"). Then when he woke up in the middle of the night last night, I heard it. "Mamamamama." He was calling for me. :) Same thing this morning. Melts my heart.
So now my baby is officially a toddler. It has seemed the past few days as though someone may have told him this, and temper tantrums are beginning already -- but realistically I think it is a combination of being sick, being busy and out of our regular routine for the past 2 weeks (because Daddy was off on spring break), and seeing an overwhelming number of people over the weekend. Unfortunately for John, it won't really get better until after this weekend, but I think he will manage. There will be cake, after all, and that always helps. :)
The question I am most frequently asked these days is whether he is still nursing, and how long I plan to continue nursing him. He is still going strong on the nursing front, and I plan to keep going until he stops. Most kids wean on their own by age 2 as I recall; if he's still going by then, I'll reassess. Nursing is still John's major source of comfort, and I'm not in a hurry to take that away from him.
No one has asked me when/if we're planning to have another baby. (Which is good because it tells me that I happen to know a lot of tactful people!) It is something that I have been thinking a lot about lately, and no this is not an announcement. Just a realization that most of our close friends have had their first two children less than 18 months apart. We're not on track for that to happen, if God decides to bless us with someone new. I've gotten to a point where the idea of having another baby fills me with excitement instead of dread, which I guess is a good thing. Not that we wouldn't have been thrilled if it happened sooner. It is a funny thing about being "open to life". Sometimes you think the timing is all wrong (like you've been married for a month and you're supposed to have major surgery, for example) and God says "Now." Sometimes you think the timing seems just about perfect, and God says "Not now." Either way, you trust Him, and everything seems to work out. We Christians are either onto something, or completely delusional -- but I tell you what, we're usually pretty happy.
Anyway, this has been a meandering train of thought, which I guess is what happens when we've spent the last 2 hours trying to get John to go to sleep. No idea what was bothering him, the poor little thing, but it sounds as though he's finally down now. This toddler stage is going to be an exciting, exhausting new adventure for all of us. My baby is growing up.
Happy Birthday, John. If this is the only year I get, I am blessed to have had it. I love you so much.