Simply put, you’re one month from your first birthday, and I am flabbergasted. Maybe it’s because you are the second child, or because you’ve been such an easy child, but these past eleven months have absolutely just flown by.
The biggest news this month is that you officially started walking. And you did it in typical Beckett style. You were taking a step here and a step there for a few weeks. And then suddenly one day, you took four steps in a row. Then seven. Then ten. And then it was on. You still crawl sometimes, but for the most part, you are walking and trying to keep up with your sister.
One of your favorite things to do is climb the stairs. We have to block it off with four different things, or you figure out how to break through to what you consider the holy grail of fun. If we forget to block it off, you can sense it from a mile away. You take off for it as fast as you can, crawling like a mad man with your butt swaying back and forth. Up the first two stairs you go to the landing when you suddenly turn around to see who’s watching with the biggest grin on your face. Then you quickly turn back to face the obstacle in front of you, often laughing so hard and trying to go so fast that you can barely get up the first step or two. It amuses me so much that I let you get four or five steps up before snagging you off.
You still have the same seven teeth you had last month, but the bottom left is threatening to come through any day now. You’ve earned an A+ in sleeping – going to bed without a peep at 8 pm, sleeping until 7-8 am, and napping for a solid 2+ hours every day. You know how to clap and how to wave, and you love doing both of those. You still do your pterodactyl scream, which still cracks me up every time. You also babble lots of ‘dadadada’ and ‘mamamama’ but I wouldn’t consider either of them your first word yet. I’m rooting for Mama, of course.
Eating has become interesting, as you hate to be fed. You want the food so badly, yet you turn your head away the moment the spoon comes near your face. This means we’re left with things you can manage on your own – bananas, cheese, toast/crackers, and so on. You also tend to be a squirrel when you eat, shoving as much as you can into your cheeks and then attempting to chew it or swallow it whole. You gag and choke so often, which scares me to no end. Watching you struggle to catch your breath for even a split second sends my adrenaline into overdrive. I’m thinking purees until you are six sounds good to me.
Watching you play with your sister is one of the highlights of every day for me. You absolutely light up when she comes in the room. If we walk into your room together in the morning, you start squealing and jumping up and down the second you see her. I’m almost jealous! OK, not really, because watching the two of you together makes me happier than I could possibly describe in words. And just so you know, she loves you as much as you love her. I couldn’t ask for anything more.
As we spend the next few weeks prepping for your first birthday party, I am feeling reflective. I feel as though I’ve spent so much of my life waiting for the next big thing, and now that it’s all happened – college, career, marriage, kids – I often find myself wondering what’s next. But I don’t need or want anything more than to watch you grow into a little boy and beyond. Your arrival marked the end of an era for me – the end of always waiting for the next big thing. You are teaching me to sit back and enjoy the journey. And it’s not just because you are the second child, it’s because of your sweet soul and laid-back personality, which I completely adore. I love you, Mommy
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