1 Year

He's one. It really happened! Even though I swear it was only about four days ago I was in the hospital recovering from 27 hours of labor, snuggling an 8 lb 1 oz babe with long skinny legs and wavy strawberry blonde hair. This has been the fastest year of my life. It's finally hitting home just how quickly parenthood is going to go. Part of me is so excited for Jace to grow up and go to preschool, then kindergarten, and learn how to swim and ride a bike. But another piece of me is a little panicked at how quickly he's is changing...Wait, baby! Slow down a little! Stay my tiny for just a bit longer.

We kept today's celebrations pretty low-key, because we are having a small birthday party on Saturday (like, really small. Us, my parents, and the Pollard's. But there will be cake, presents, and Mickey Mouse napkins, thus I'm calling it a party). So today, we woke up and had our traditional hagelslag for breakfast. We met up with Colt at our favorite burger place for a birthday lunch, then went shopping to pick up a few small items for his birthday bash this weekend. We fielded multiple Happy Birthday texts from adoring grandparents, aunties, and cousins, and when C got home from work, he took JJ to play at his favorite rainy day spot (the indoor play area at the mall, HA! That's a Pacific Northwest childhood for you). I cooked up birthday chicken enchiladas for my little green chile-loving gordito, and then we opened a few presents from Grammy (thanks again, Terri). We wrapped up the day by sticking a single blue candle into a huge carrot cupcake, singing Happy Birthday, and letting him go to town. At first, he just picked delicately at the icing, but after a few minutes, he figured out what was going on and seized the opportunity, proving he really is my son by stuffing his face with cream cheese frosting. 

At 1 year, Jace....

-Is walking/running. He took his first steps on January 13th, 2016 (at 3:20 pm), and he's just getting better and faster everyday.

-Loves to play "cheers." We have a green smoothie together every afternoon, and when I say "cheers!" he clinks his cup with my glass and takes a drink. 

-Claps his hands together by himself when we sing "Patty Cake".

-Loves his books, his walker, his basketball, and his wooden puzzle. He's especially adept with his walker; he does laps around the apartment, maneuvers around obstacles, and when he runs into something and gets stuck, he picks the walker up and moves it, inch by inch, until he's free and clear. It's so funny to watch him problem solve. 

-Has six teeth.

-Loves to "read." He crawls over to his books, picks one off the shelf, flips through the pages one at a time, tosses it aside, grabs another story, and repeats the process. It makes my heart swell with joy when I see his little head bowed over a book. 

-Is SO busy. He's constantly moving, always exploring, pulling things out of his cabinet in the kitchen, trying to get into the bathroom or his bedroom to tip over the humidifier, banging on the washing machine, following me as I vacuum, and playing in the dishwasher as I load/unload. I secretly love it, but I know he's only going to get busier (and faster).

-Says "Yeah!" when you ask him a yes/no question, but it's not intentional. It is quite cute, however. He also says "Mmmm" when he's eating something yummy, and says "Mama" and "Dada" all the time, but not purposefully. No words yet, but...

-I can tell his receptive language has really taken off. He knows "Go get the ball," "I'm gonna tickle you," "I'm gonna get you," and "Come here." He knows several other words (mama, dada, smoothie, num nums, Grammy/Grampy, Mimi/Papa Todd, books...). He's getting smart.

-Was weaned this last weekend, and now drinks whole milk instead, like a toddler...*sniff*

-Goes to his friend Henry's house to play while I go to work as an SLP at a local preschool one day a week. They're the cutest friends.

Fastest year of my life. Does it slow down from here, or are the next 17 years going to blink by just as quick?