A Letter to my Son on his First Birthday!

 

Dear Turner,


Today you took a sip of milk out of a straw for the first time.  Today you stood on your own two feet, without help, for three seconds.  Today you ate a bowl of whipped cream with your hands, messily and happily, then a piece of cake in the same fashion.  Today I was reminded, delightfully, of where I was a year ago.  Today you turned one!!

Everything from the past 365 days seemed to pass me by so quickly.  You were born a 7 pound newborn who surprised us by being our third son and you've grown into a near 22 pound one year old.  You grew pleasantly and happily and hardly fussed at all along the way.  And, often, we were caught up in the throes of daily chaos and it would seem as if we were unable to notice the changes, the advances, the milestones.  But, we did!  We always do.  Turner, you are this wonderful baby boy.  You smile always, you laugh often, you cry little.  You have a calm demeanor, a contagious laugh, and a bright smile.  You are our completion and our days are better since you were born.

We celebrated your birthday as an almost normal Wednesday.  You woke up to hugs, kisses, smiles, and shouts of "happy birthday" from all of us.  You may not have any idea what those words mean but you sure do love hearing them!  As soon as we say the words, or sing the song, you smile and laugh forcing us to, of course, say it over and over and over.  We took your brothers to school then went off to run an errand before heading to the little gym where you enjoyed your final "bugs" class.  Next week we will begin "birds." After, you and I had a little lunch date before we ran another errand. 
At home, we had a whipped cream party with Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop and you loved the mess and the taste of the cream.  Mom-Mom Jill and Aunt Carri came over for dinner and cake.  It was really a great day!

 

(A few days later....)

We celebrated your first birthday with a really fun party at the Juice Zone.  Miss Marilyn, from Kids Music Round, came to entertain you and your 20 friends.  Everyone really had a blast, the older kids were dancing and singing the whole time, and you were just enjoying and taking it all in.   At the party you stood, all by yourself, for nearly fifteen seconds!!!!  You definitely enjoyed destroying/eating your drum cake. (Click here to see party pictures!)

The invitation

 

You are a good eater and seem to like everything we give you.  Though you did love your bottle we have officially taken it away and you are now taking milk from a cup.  You don't love having to work a bit harder to get your thirst quenched but you are getting the hang of it as you practice more and more.
You have slept through the night since you are five weeks old and continue to be a good sleeper.  When the schedule allows you take two long naps a day but remain wonderfully pleasant when I force you to skip or shorten your nap. You are very much the little trooper.

You continue to be a pleasure.  You love to be around your brothers and will follow them into every room, though it seems the bathroom is your favorite. You love balloons, books, and dumping buckets of toys- trio's, lego's, and the cars, seem to really bring you joy to dump.  You are often standing up at your toys, holding on, and like to walk with assistance.  I suspect one day you will get up and walk across the room without practice or notice.

At your one year appointment you weighed in at 21 pounds 14 ounce and measured 31 3/4 in length.  This put you near the 50th percentile for weight and 95th for height. It makes us laugh to think you could be tall.  Perhaps you are just tall for now!   When Chase was a year old he weighed 20 pounds 2 ounces and was 30 inches long.  Ryder was 19 pounds 5 ounces and was 29 3/4 inches long so you are definitely larger than they were.

You are an active boy who cruises around the furniture, climbs up and down the steps, and loves your time at the little gym.  You love to shake your shoulders when you hear music.  You are attentive and watch our lips when we talk and point at every object you see.  You have not yet started speaking words but you do babble often.

You don't love strangers and will cry if I hand you over to someone you do not know.  And, lately, you have been really clingy to me!  You love to be held, you give great hugs, and I love hugging you right back.

Your hair is getting curlier and thicker and longer but is still not ready to be cut.  It's a light brown, still and your eyes are still, and I suppose, will remain a grayish blue.  You have big eyes, deep eyes, with long lashes.  You have one dimple and a wonderful smile.  You are solid in your build and have a thick chest.  And, you are absolutely adorable!!!
 
The first year of a baby's life is one to marvel at.  So much happens so quickly and everyday there is something new to learn.  I have loved watching you learn, helping you learn and can't believe that your first birthday has come and gone.  But I am eager to experience this next year (and every year there after, of course) with you as you explore toddlerhood.   

Turner, I love you.  I love you beyond words, beyond measure.  I love watching you become the boy you will be.  Your brothers love you and always ask when you will be able to play with them and we all look forward to that day.  You are a happy boy, and you've made us so very happy, too!!

Happy Birthday Turner Luke!