Ryan -- 12 Months

Dear Ryan,

You reached 12 months, your 1st birthday. A year has flown by so quickly, it was just yesterday that you were just born and we were wondering who you were, what color eyes you have, etc.

This past month we've enjoyed the last days of summer. You love spending time in the backyard, particularly when we make the rounds to find you blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and cherry tomatoes to eat. Then you eat until all the ripe ones are gone!

There's been playtime with Jake.

And on your own.

Sometimes it is naptime. This month you have gone back and forth between 1 and 2 naps a day. If your nap is more towards the middle of the day, then you have no problem making it until a 7pm bedtime, and you crash hard. If you have 2 naps then it's pretty difficult to put you to bed on time. We just go with the flow for that day.

It's always playtime.

Oftentimes it is time to eat! Despite having only 1 and a half teeth at this point, you still love to eat. Mommy's granola is a favorite.

We also discovered you LOVE broccoli, which is awesome.

Your other favorite thing to do this month is to walk around, but you need hands to hold to do it. Mommy and Daddy spend a lot of time walking you around, and it's pretty fun to see where you want to go and what you want to see. 

While you're not walking on your own, yet, you have been practicing standing for a few seconds here and there.

And you love to play with the walker. Sometimes you stand or sit on it while we push you around, sometimes you push it around yourself.

You play, you talk with us both in sign language and by saying simple words, and you dance. Boy, do you love music! You often instruct us to put music on, and it is one thing that will soothe you when you are having a screaming fit. Thank goodness for Raffi and Bananaphone!

You're my sweet, sweet baby. Everyday is a joy with you, even though you have become an acrobatic nursing monkey this month!

 

Keep growing, baby boy. Right now you're 20 pounds of healthy and growing just right. Someday you'll be big like your brother but for now you're just the right size.

We love you so much. Happy birthday, Ryan!