Letter to my Baby: Week 52

 September 20, 2011

Dear Ryder

Here we are:  You are now 1 year old.  You are 21 lbs 14 oz (50%) and 30.5 inches (30%).  Your big ole’ noggin is still in the 97%, but is on the growth curve, so no worries.  We get comments daily about your flyaway blond hair and your big, beautiful blue eyes.  You have 5 teeth, an adorable grin and a deep laugh.  Your daddy and I will do almost anything to make you smile and giggle.  You are so woven into our lives that it is hard to remember what life was like before we became a family of three.  

As with all your other weeks and months, this month has been exciting with all your growing and changing.  You are now both crawling and cruising.  You love to pull up on furniture and practice walking across it.  Sometimes, when you are feeling brave, you will try to cruise using only the wall or cabinets for support.  You also have different speeds of crawling, our favorite is what we call “attack speed”:  You crawl as fast as you can, often with accompanying babble to let us know you are working on coming.  You love to chase balls around the house.  You also love it when daddy chases you, although you don’t quite understand that you are supposed to try to get away.  

You have some favorite things that you like to do every day with Momma and Daddy.  One of those things is going outside to blow bubbles.  You like to watch the bubbles and try to catch them, but mostly you love dipping the wand in and out of the bottle over and over until you are all wet and sticky with bubble liquid.  You like your baths, and afterwards will listen to every word of your favorite book “I Love You Stinky Face.”  You also still love your blanket and rub it over your face and grip its ridges as you drink your bottle and go to sleep.  

Your motor skills continue to improve.  This month you learned that you can put objects inside of other objects.  You love to try to fit toys into things like the laundry baskets, and with some help, can put shapes into the right holes.  You also initiate games, things like “peek-a-boo” and get so pleased when we figure out that you are trying to play and join in.  

You also have learned how to clap.  You also sign “more” by clapping.  Sometimes we aren’t sure if you really want more of something or if you are just very excited.  Either way, your antics make us laugh and you love joining in the fun.

It astounds me that a whole year has now come to an end.  You have changed my heart, filling up space that I didn’t even know existed.  I love you and am humbled and honored to be your Momma.

Happy 1st Birthday.

Momma