12 Months

On Friday, our sweet baby boy turned 1! This year has truly been the happiest year of my whole life. Being a parent to Ryan is the most rewarding job in the world. Watching him grow and learn is just the coolest thing! He's such a happy, sweet baby and is always such a joy to be around.

We spent his actual birthday hanging around home and planning for his party. My mom, my sister Rebecca, and our friends the Londrys came to celebrate and help us prepare for Saturday's festivities. We took a break from the party planning when the clouds cleared and headed down to the neighborhood pool for some fun in the sun. To say he loved it is an understatement!

Since Ryan was getting his cake at his party, we sang to him and gave him a cupcake as a birthday treat after dinner. I think he liked the singing part better than the cupcake :)

At 12 Months:

-Sleeps from about 8/8:30PM- 8/8:30 AM every night

-Drinks whole milk now and didn't mind the change at all

-Starting to walk on his own for the passed several weeks, but still prefers to crawl when he wants to get somewhere fast. He's improving though and walks flat footed for about 10-15 steps when he's focused on something

-Naps twice a day (longer AM nap- 2+ hours, and only about an hour or so PM nap)

-Loves to "fake" laugh "ha ha ha"-like he's trying to be social. I guess we like to laugh around here!

-Loves to wave and clap his hands

-Enjoys eating crackers, goldfish, and chips. Very picky about soft textures in his hands

- Says: mama, ball, dada, lala or yaya (for Layla), whoa, wow, and book (some clearer than others-his favorites are mama and ball)

- Wears 18 month clothes and some 24 month depending on the brand. His tummy has thinned out so 24 month can be loose

- Weighs 25 lbs 4 oz (82%) and is 32 inches long (96th %)

-Has 8 teeth- 4 on the bottom, 2 uppers that are all the way in and two more that have just cut through the gum where you can see them

- Will drink from the sippy cup when he's really thirsty, but otherwise wants nothing to do with it...we're working on it

-Likes to point at things, or people

- Is going through a new phase where he doesn't mind strangers and isn't quite as clingy-unless he knows I'm leaving him-like at church

- Gives the best wet, open mouth kisses

-Likes to play in his crib by himself when he wakes in the AM or from a nap. He just bangs around and plays and laughs. It's so funny to watch on the monitor

-I think he's starting to understand what we're saying to him, like "finish your milk" or "no"-even though he tests us on that one

- Is going to be in the pool all summer!

I can't believe a whole year has gone by. We are so lucky to be this little boy's parents. I know I'm bias, but he really is the sweetest, cutest, best behaved little guy around :)

Happy Birthday, sweet Ryan!

Party pictures coming soon!