month 13!

hi boo bear,

this nickname is quite possibly the most annoying to date. no clue where it came from, but it's out of my mouth before i can stop it every time!

the most important thing i'd like to discuss with you this month, is that you are growing up entirely too quickly for my liking and i insist you stop it right now! with that said...

this month was a big one! we left for phoenix on may 30th, to go to your uncle g's wedding, and first thing the next day we had your 1st birthday party. most of your friends came and a good time was had by all. you had your first classic toilet paper moment, while i'm a bit ashamed to say, i had no idea where you were, nor was i paying any attention whatsoever. luckily, someone asked me where you were, and we found you in the bathroom surrounded by toilet paper.

you swam, you ate, and just before everyone left, we had cake. grandma and grandpa d got you your own little cake, and everyone else munched on cupcakes with monkeys. you had a blast eating it, and of course later ended up with an upset stomach. fun times.

the next 10 days were a whirlwind of eating, visiting friends, and lots and lots of driving. you did great, except for sleeping, and there were multiple times that i wanted to disown you. every night that your daddy and i went out, no matter what time we came home, you would wake up just as soon as we laid our heads down on the pillow. i finally decided that as soon as we got home, you were crying yourself to sleep no matter what. i had had ENOUGH.

the morning after we got home, i also decided to start weaning you. i figured the time was finally right...no more teeth coming in, daddy was home for a few more days, and i no longer had any reservations. we immediately cut out your two daytime feedings and you handled it like a champ. you started eating better, and you started sleeping thru the night. AMEN AND HALLELUJAH. this weekend when daddy comes home we're going to stop the morning feeding, and as long as mama keeps making milk i will only nurse you at night.

you and i will be going to chicago in a few weeks to visit my grandma. she was recently diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer that has spread to her brain and we aren't sure how much longer she's going to make it. i swore that i would never fly alone with you again, but considering the circumstances i am making an acception. and i plan on being armed with ten million books, snacks, and a portable dvd player. the fact that i am even considering buying a portable dvd player to fly with a 13 month old should tell you a lot about your excellent behavior on airplanes.

as far as your development goes, you seem to have crossed over into toddlerhood. you started walking on june 1st, the last day we were in phoenix, and daddy and grandma and grandpa d were so glad to have witnessed it. you are clapping, and saying, "wow, woah, and oooh," and respond to certain questions, such as, "would you like some yogurt?" you are drinking milk, out of a 12 month sippy cup without handles, and whenever we go on walks, you always put it back in the cup holder in your stroller. you give hugs and kisses, and love to read books with mama.

you have also started throwing tantrums that make we want to screeeeeam, and i wonder why the hell no one ever warned me it begins this early! you also like to drink your milk at times, and spit it all over the place. this makes me crazier than any other thing you do. i HATE it. you, however, are obviously aware that i hate it and laugh like it's the funniest thing in the world. note to self: will have to practice reverse psychology on that one. you have also started hitting me, and while you don't do it often, you do it enough that i wonder how i will ever deal with your terrible two's and three's. one day at a time, i suppose.

you are handling daddy being gone much better after our trip to phoenix, and i am so relieved. it had an obvious effect on you the first couple of weeks, and sometimes you would wake up at night and we would both end up in tears. during the day i try to keep us busy, whether it be a trip to walmart, or a walk around the track at the community center, because you are always happier while outside or out and about.

people still continue to ask me whether you are always so happy, and to that i say, "boy, do you have them fooled." although you are mostly a happy boy, they have never seen your tantrums. but you still never fail to smile at anyone you walk by, and that is one of the things i love most about you. you are my little charmer, and you make me so proud every day.

love,

mama