12 months!

Dear Mr. Will,

You are 12 months old! You are ONE! I can't believe it.

You weigh 22 lbs and 12 ounces (75th%tile). Your weight has stablized and you haven't gained in a couple of months. You actually weigh less now than you did at 10 months when you were 23 lbs, and you were 23 lbs, 4 oz the day you got your tubes (Jan 10). The pediatric nutritionist in me is trying to remain calm about this. I know you (obviously) are still well nourished, but in the pediatric world we are taught that in most cases, we never want babies to lose weight, but to "grow into it." But you have been pretty sick the past few months, and I know that has taken a toll on you.

You are 29 inches long (30th%tile). Your head is 19 inches (97th%tile).

Your weight for length is 90th%tile.

You started out on the smaller side, but quickly caught up and filled out very well over the past year. Very well.

You've gained 16 pounds, 11 ounces total this year, and you've grown almost 10 inches.

You are wearing size 12 months clothes, a size four diaper, and have teeny tiny little feet- still rocking the size 0-6 month Robeez.

I love looking back at pictures of you to compare you at each stage, and you have definitely changed over the past year.

Here you are at:

1 month

2 months

3 months

4 months

5 months

6 months

7 months

8 months

9 months

10 months 

11 months

You aren't walking yet, but finally started cruising behind one of your push toys this week. Very slow and wobbly cruising, but we'll take it. Your cousin Israel didn't walk until he was 15 months from what I can remember, so it wouldn't surprise me if you are a late walker as well. If I had to guess I would say it is going to be 14-15 months before you are walking on your own. But, you do crawl as fast as lightening. So I can kind of understand why you don't feel the need to walk at this point when you can get where you want to be just fine on all fours!

While you are obviously not trying to set any records for walking, you are excelling in the verbal language department. I think you have been learning at least one new word a week lately. Here is the current {but constantly growing} list of words you currently can say:

Momma

Dada

Ball

Book

Up

Done

All done

Bye Bye- usually accompanied by blowing kisses and waving

Vroom vroom (when you are playing with cars or trucks or trains)

Oof Oof ("woof woof")

No-no-no-no (and you shake your hand at us when you say this)

Uh oh

Go

More

And these are the signs you know:

More- you say this as you sign it usually

Eat

Done (or finished)- you also usually say this as you sign it

Milk

You also like to pretend to answer the phone (or remote, or eye glasses case, or thermometer, or anything that could somewhat resemble a phone), and if you don't have anything near by but hear someone say, "Hello Will," you will put your hand to your ear.

Speaking of remotes, it is one of your favorite toys by far, and has been for a while. You like to pick it up and point it to the TV. No idea where you learned that from. (Ahem...Daddy.)

As far as eating, you are doing much better now that you are feeling better. We ended up having 3 ear infections within 3 weeks of getting tubes (and also pink eye), and that left you feeling pretty puny and on some days, not wanting to eat at all unless you were nursing. Your favorite food that you could eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and all snacks is without a shadow of a doubt, yogurt. You're obsessed. Any flavor of yogurt will do. You love regular yogurt and Greek yogurt. You are also nearly as obsessed with blueberries. You love them! 

You are NOT a fan of meat, at all. Thank goodness you are able to get your protein in with all that yogurt, and we're pretty dependent on your multivitamin to get your iron in right now. You were one point away from being anemic at your 12 month check up, so I'm hoping you'll start eating meat soon.

We've also discovered you love pickles?

You eat three meals a day, and one snack. You nurse twice a day during the week, and have 2 cups of mommy's milk while you are at school. I plan to keep nursing you for a while. As many ear infections and colds you've had this winter, I figure the more protection your little immune system can get, the better. We have a deep freezer stocked full of milk, so you'll probably be getting that in a cup for a long time even if you aren't nursing anymore.

You still have just the 6 teeth. But I keep thinking we are going to see a few more pop through any day now, because you sure have been putting everything in your mouth lately.

You love your wagon that we got you for your birthday! Riding in your wagon is probably your favorite activity right now.

You are also still obsessed with your beloved magnets. I think I might need to get you some magnets of your own, because you have nearly worn our cute instagram magnets out!

You still love bath time, and we are getting to the point where more water ends up on the floor than in the tub. You love splashing around, throwing your toys out, each one of which is immediately followed by "uh oh!"

Our current evening schedule is:

Between 5 and 6- dinner

6-7 playtime (unless you get really messy, and then you'll get your bath first)

7:00- bath time

7:15-7:30- nurse, followed by brushing your teeth and then bedtime

You go down for the night SO easily. We are most certainly spoiled by how easy it is to get you to bed in the evenings. One night this week you even said to me "bye bye" as I laid you in your crib. I literally put you in your crib, and walk out of the room, and you just lay your little head down and go to sleep. You still sleep in a sleep sack, and with a sound machine set to "white noise." You usually sleep from about 7:30 or 7:45 until 5 or 5:30. For about a week, you were sleeping until 6, but you've gone back to that wake up time of 5 or 5:30 again. You nurse as soon as you wake up, and then usually go back to sleep until I wake you up to leave for the day. You take one nap, usually from 11:45-2:00.

You've inherited several nicknames over the past year, and these are the most frequently used:

"Baby Will,"

"Mr. Will," which has been changed to,

"Midda Will," which has been shortened to,

"Midda,"

and finally "Toodles."

If you ask your cousin Tucker, he calls you by something different every day I think, including (but not limited to) Baby Will, Baby Bill, Baby Billy, Little Will, Little Bill, and Billy. Silly boy. I can only imagine the trouble the two of you are going to get into in just a few years! 

Mr. Will, you are truly such an easy baby and so much fun. I had NO idea how much joy you would bring your daddy and I. You are so smart and funny, and so sweet. You give the biggest kisses to your momma, and call for your daddy from the time you wake up until the time you are going to sleep. In the morning (and numerous times throughout the day), you usually go back and forth asking for "dada" and "oof oof" (Sage), but when it comes down to it, you are definitely a momma's boy. And that's ok with me!

This year has FLOWN by, and has been the best year of our lives. You have so many people in your little world that love you, and you bring joy not only to our lives, but to everyone you come in contact with. We are crazy about you, and so thankful for every day we get to spend with you. We love you so much!

Happy Birthday, sweet boy!