A Year Is My Life...

July 28th, 2005 11:03 PM 6 pounds 7 ounces 19 inches long

So today is my birthday! Thought I'd share what my mom wrote to me...she's so mushy sometimes.

Dear Ian,

You are one year old today...it happened so quickly. I can't believe that this time last year we were anxiously awaiting your arrival with no idea just how much you were going to change our lives. And change our lives you have. From our first glimpse of you we knew we would love you more than we could imagine.

I'm not exactly certain how we filled our time before you, but I know now that we must have slept more than we probably needed! We didn't do a lot of sleeping the first month...in fact your first month was harder than anything I've ever done. There was so much to learn, so many opinions to sort through, and all the time this precious little man who needed us for everything. We survived those first tough weeks of nighttime feedings, rocking, and working with the cast you had to wear. You didn't really want to eat and you were too little to understand why they had to put the huge cast on you once a week, but we made it through.

You quickly began to develop your easy going, want to be around people all the time demeanor. As long as you could see people on our many walks to Starbucks you were okay...unless of course I went beyond your coffeehouse tolerance time...when you would instantly let me and every other latte toting consumer know you were unhappy. Yoga, walks, and time with your friends' moms became our mainstay for the first few months of your life.

The last year has been so full of firsts, if I listed them all I'm certain I'd bore you (unless, like your Auntie Sarah you aren't even reading this but just looking at the pictures). There are so many things I already miss about you but they are equally balanced with the many new abilities you gain by the moment now. I'll treasure those hours spent just holding you in the red chair. You would sleep so quietly, so peacefully and I would just watch your tiny little parts in awe of how complete they all were.

I hope that I can be the mom you are proud of and a mom that you will always want to spend time with (minus those silly teen years of course). For now I take great comfort in knowing that you think I am the perfect mom. I hope you keep that perspective for a very very long time.

Happy Birthday my little man.

Love,

Mom

The Beach Beckons

So mom woke up yesterday and said, "I've gotta get out of this place!" Just an hour later and we were off to the Beach. I decided to sleep all the way there because who can stand their babbling, although I did miss my time with Terri Gross. Bodega Bay doesn't really compare to Hawaii (mom needs to post some of those pix just like Auntie Sarah just did), but it was 30 degrees cooler than Sacramento...and...a BEACH!



I wasn't afraid of the water AT ALL, in fact mom and dad kept saying "Ian's fearless"...whatever that means. I came home (again sleeping to avoid them) with a load of sand between many body parts that mom and dad are still discovering. All in all an excellent outing! Now I've gotta get them to head to Tahoe...I hate this heat!

It was one HOT party!

So...all my friends showed up even though it was 108 degrees! They are GOOD friends! We splashed, we played, we sang, we ate cake. What a party. I wasn't really interested in my cake...all that singing and staring at me was a little unnerving, plus I needed a nap and some cool weather. Is that so much for a guy to ask? They gave me some great gifts...I love my chair, I'm using it as my official throne just so everyone remembers who's boss around my house.

Dad and I under the mushroom at the wading pool

Yummm!

Mom helped me open my gifts

Nearing Number One

Just 9 days until I hit the big one! Wow, have I grown up fast. I've learned so much in just 12 months...I amaze my parents.

Here are just a few of the faces I've been working on perfecting lately...

My Birthday List

So many choices...it's hard for me to decide. Here are just a few things that I've been eyeing lately:

1. Anything with wheels!
2. Board books with real pictures -- I like to look at these for minutes at a time
3. Clothes size 9 to 12 months -- yeah I have at least two years before this is an unacceptable gift. And yes, I'm still a little guy...I'll be saving all of the 12 month stuff until I'm about 18 months
4. A Piggy Bank -- Mom keeps telling me to save my pennies (somebody needs to tell her they aren't going to be around much longer...so quarters would be much better)
5. Puzzles -- the big chunky, can't be eaten kind, I'm still learning how to use them
6. New Music PLEASE -- they keep playing the same old stuff. Maybe John Lithgow...any of his stuff is great! Or Choo Choo Boogaloo by Buckwheat Zydeco. My parents only have illegal knockoffs of all things cool...help me please!

Anything you want to give me is great...I'm not that picky! Remember, my parents house is pretty small and I've already taken over most of their living room! They don't want a bigger house so I guess I can't have too much stuff.

Almost a year old

Mom won't stop taking pictures of me...so here's what I think about that! I am completely uncooperative for her, just to make her work a little harder! I like my new tongue trick though. What do you think?