This year flew by so fast, I have no idea where the time went, but what I do know is that my baby is turning one year old on the 27th. Crazy to think that a year ago right now I was so sick and no one knew what was wrong with me exactly, or if Austin would be okay when he was born, or really what to expect, but he was born and I was healed and life moved on, fast. Now one year later it feels like a distant memory, but one I don’t want to ever forget. (For some details about last August click here.)
In the last three months Austin has “come into himself” making his mark on our family. He brings joy to our family, his face lights up a room, the smile and those checks suck you in and you just want more! He is silly, looking to make us laugh and snag the attention of his siblings. What a busy boy he is, getting into everything and on the move! Now we can say, there are definately 4 kids in our family, 4 to keep track of, 4 to feed, 4 to cuddle, 4 to care for, he is now, one of the gang.
Here are his stats @ 1 year old:
Weight: 24.5 pounds, 75th percentile for weight and height, 18-24 month clothes
Teeth: 3 (one top tooth barely poking through the gums and two bottom teeth all the way in)
Sleep: 11.5 hours at night (straight!), 2 naps a day, about 1.5 hours each
Movement: not walking, but walking along everything. He crawls like a madman, at supersonic speed! He loves to crawl through things, like a tunnel or under a blanket. He will do it over and over again. He loves to jump in his crib holding on to the side rail, or on the small trampoline. Even though he is a very skilled mover for a non walker, he still loves to be carried or worn in the Ergo.
Nick names:
- A man
- A-ster
- Au-dee (made up and called by Ally only)
- Little Man
- Baby Boy
Food: His boy LOVES to eat! He screams in anger if he doesn’t get to eat before everyone else. He likes pretty much everything but loves: fruit, yogurt, watermelon, bread, string cheese, frozen peas, ice cream, berries, anything sweet, nursing, and whatever his brother or sisters are eating. He loves water from my water bottle, he will be getting his own for his birthday! (Really, there is nothing I can think if he doesn’t like to put in his mouth and swallow!)
Talking: He “talks” all the time. Constant noise is coming from him and I can tell he is talking, I just can’t tell what he is saying! He does say a few things such as: “that?” (while he points), ”uh-oh”, and “DaDa”. He also waves, lifts up his arms and says “yeah”, claps, and kisses (only open mouth style!) I also think he says Zac sometimes, but it sounds like “that” so it is hard to decipher.
Toys: he still loves to put things in his mouth, but has calmed down a bit, thank goodness! He seems to have a special liking for balls, chasing them around the house. He also likes to play with anything he knows he shouldn’t play with, like the toilet water, small legos, toilet paper, the washing machine, the dishwasher…you get the point!
Skills: Austin excels at opening cupboards and drawers and pulling everything out! He can make a mess and empty a drawer in less than 3 seconds. His best skill is throwing things over his shoulder, usually his right shoulder. He LOVES to empty clothes out of dresser drawers, throwing everything out as fast as he can. He also likes to crawl to my piles of laundry (especially when they are already folded) and throw them all over the room. He can do this at hyper-speed! Austin has a special liking for piles of clothes and towels, I wonder if this means anything!??
Austin, you have been the perfect “last baby” for me. Sweet, cuddly, full of love, full of smiles, fun, playful, spunky, just everything I love! I can’t believe you will be one on Friday, if I think about it too much I tear up and start to cry. I remember when you came out and how perfect you were, despite all the worries about if something was wrong and how sick I was, together we pulled through and it was all good, Praise God! When you get older and I tell you the story of the month leading up to your birth, you better thank me for hanging in there…
Everything with you is bittersweet. I get so excited when you enter a new stage, but I get sad, knowing you are growing up and I won’t get to experience this again. Your Daddy says I can’t baby you too much, but how can I help it? Every time we are in the rocking chair together and cuddled up I think, how quickly this will fade, thanks for indulging me now. One of my favorite things about you is your energy and desire to explore and learn. You have a zeal for life and I love to watch you process how this world works. You like to watch your brother and sisters do things and then try it yourself, I have a feeling this won’t fade in you.
You have one of the most expressive faces, I can tell how you are going to respond verbally to something before a sound comes out, just by watching your face. You light up when someone walks in the door you like, such as Daddy, GG or Pappy, it is so sweet. You are making a real impact on this family now, I can tell I have four kids, you aren’t just sitting back, but participating in our life and you keep me on my toes!
Thank you for a wonderful year that I never want to forget. I am excited to get to know more of who God made you to be in this next year. I love you more than you will ever know or understand, Mama.
