Saturday, July 12, 2008

He's One!

My baby is one! This is very exciting and a bit surreal to me. Where has the year gone? I read somewhere that, "When Mothering, the days are long, but the years are short." How true. I will admit that there have been days in the last year when I felt like we were just killing time until the NEXT thing (nap, lunch, bottle, etc), but we also have had so many moments to laugh and enjoy the kid Owen is becoming.

What is Owen like at one year old?
Fun, fun, fun!

He is cruising all over the place - truly toddling these days. Pushing off the furniture and taking tiny steps across the room. He can cross some pretty big distances, and even squat down to pick up a toy. Owen can also climb up a full flight of stairs. Not get back down, and not without one of us behind him every step of the way, but it's pretty impressive to watch him pull his little body up those steps. Owen loves the water - swimming at the pool, playing at a friend's house in the kiddie pool, the bath each night, even a bucket of water on the deck - they all make him so happy. In fact, he keeps crawling out our sliding door to try and get out to our kiddie pool - even though it's empty.


The thing that I am loving the most about right now is that Owen makes himself laugh. The other day, he climbed into a produce box and then sat their laughing at what he'd done. Same thing crawling around the kiddie pool. He cracks himself up!


Yes, those would be "temptation melons" shipped in that box. Great name!

The other day,
Owen is now 19 lb, 4 oz. He's moved up to "above the 5th percentile." That's my boy. He's a good eater, so maybe he'll keep creeping up the curve at every visit.

OWEN HAS OUTGROWN HIS REFLUX! Fabulous. He took his last official dose of medicine on July 1. He's really been doing better since April 1, but it took a long time to wean him off the meds. I admit that back in February/March, it seemed like he would never be "bib free' and I had visions of a 3 year old running around the playground spewing on the other kids. Thank goodness he has grown out of it, just like the doctor predicted. My clothes are (mostly) clean, and, more importantly, I'm sure he's much more comfortable.

Two things I was told at Baby Showers that are true, true, true:

"Get ready to love something more than you ever thought possible." (You're right Colleen)

"You may not be the best mother, but you will be the best mother for Owen." (Thanks Melissa)


I really feel that this is true. The world does a great job of making us question our ability as parents, but I'm thankful for friends and family who have encouraged us at every step that we are doing the best for Owen.

We love you Owen - we are so lucky to have you as our son. I can't imagine what fun and adventure the next years will bring.

2 comments:

Carmen Goetschius said...

First tattoo, first birthday... lots of firsts! What a handsome young man you have. Alissa, you write with such warmth and tenderness when you write about your boy. It is a lovely thing. Thinking of you in Zambia! Love, Carmen

Anonymous said...

Congratts to Owen and family on the first year. Well done. :-) - M & M