Happy 1 Year Birthday (Belated)

-- I'm very late with this letter!

Dear Ian,

A few days ago (ok 11 days ago), you turned one. When I look back on this entire year, it seems like only yesterday that I was first holding you in my arms. Now, you don't even fit in my arms! You are growing up so fast. At night, I no longer hold you in the rocking chair, you sit there and read your books. I no longer hold your bottle for you to drink formula, you hold your sippy and drink milk (and then throw it on the floor :) ). I don't have to always guess what you want, you make your wants pretty clear: you want fruit, you don't want meat. You don't even look like that little guy who could barely hold up his head. You are a whole different kind of cuteness now.

I have no idea how much you weigh, or how tall you are, we have to go to the doctors next week. You wear size 18 month clothes and a size 3.5 shoe (wide, of course). You know where your belly, feet, and teeth are. You understand so much: give that to mommy, turn off the light, show me your teeth, and the list goes on. Everything is "ok" or "yeah". You just started pointing to things and saying "that". You are really interested in animals. You have this one book about farm animals that you love to look at. On one of the pages is a baby duck. You always have to kiss that duck when you turn to that page.

You are addicted to the outside. You scream and cry if someone opens the door and you can't go outside. You are also addicted to your music. You always have to have music playing. You currently like Fergie (tracks 1, 2 and 4) and The Kitty Cat Dance as well as all the tunes that your toys play.

You finally started moving around, but you don't crawl. You scoot on your butt around the house. You new favorite activity is going into the cabinets and opening and closing the doors. You're also getting pretty good at pulling up, and you just started learning how to go from your belly to sitting up. We're proud of you for working hard on this!

Our first year together has been the best of times, and the worst of times (sorry to quote Charles Dickens, you'll learn about him in highschool). Thank you for making me a better person. I'll keep working on being a good mother, and you keep working on getting on your hands and knees, ok?

Love you always,
Mama