Dear Tyler - [1 Year]

Dear Tyler,

Wow, where has this last year gone? How have you gone from this

to this in such as short period of time?

You are so handsome. Sometimes I can't stop looking at you because I think you're such a beautiful little boy. You are usually really sweet. I love your cuddles when I'm getting ready to put you to bed and your belly laughs when we tickle you and your big open mouth kisses. Sometimes they are like bites with your two little sharp bottom teeth! I'm sure you'll figure it out soon. Daddy keeps trying and trying to get you to give him kisses, but you refuse. You save those for mama!

Other times you drive me nuts :-) You are super curious and love exploring (which I love). Your favorite thing lately is making messes (which I don't love). Everywhere you go, you make a mess. Your messes also usually involve opening and closing doors or drawers. I swear, all I do some days is follow you around the house picking up mess after mess. I have learned to keep certain doors closed so you aren't tempted (i.e. the bathroom doors stay closed so you can't unroll the toilet paper!).

You also love turning the water on and off. And on and off. And on. And off.

You are a speed crawler! You can get anywhere you want in just a few seconds. You have mastered going up and down the stairs (despite the picture below!). Walking is your favorite, though. You aren't walking on your own yet, but you love pushing stools or chairs around on the hardwood, walking behind them. You are quite the smarty pants, too. When the stool hits the carpet and won't slide anymore, you simply walk around to the other side and push it back on the wood floors! We went to the doctor today for your one year wellness visit and he thinks you'll be walking on your own in the next week or two.

You are a social little boy and want to be wherever we are, doing what we're doing... whether it be playing the piano with daddy or Kylee...

playing Go Fish...

or sitting at the counter eating dinner. Over the last couple weeks I've been transitioning you from baby food to table food. You definitely prefer to eat what we're eating! You love yogurt, cheese, ham, turkey, mashed potatoes, beans, and anything sweet. I am happy that you are such a good eater! You weighed in at 19 pound, 1.8 ounces today (16th percentile). Remember when you weren't even on the charts???! And I knew you were tall - you are 29.75" tall... that's the 46th percentile! I think it's safe to say that in the last year you've caught up, and nobody would know from looking at you that you were premature.

I was really excited to switch you from formula to whole milk this last weekend, and you are loving the milk. I'm trying to get you to drink out of a sippy cup - you do okay, although you still prefer your bottle (which I'm only giving to you now before nap or when you go to bed at night). Speaking of going to bed at night, you've been quite the stinker and continue to wake up about once a night. I do admit, though, that I think I was part of the problem. Out of tiredness, I would get up with you, give you a bottle, and then put you back to bed instead of working with you to just fall back asleep. After a year of getting up with you almost every night (except for that one and a half blissful months from 7-8.5 months), I decided I was ready to be done getting up :-) Last week we started sleep training (again), and you are starting to do better. I haven't gotten up in the middle of the night to feed you in almost a week. Let's keep working on that, though, okay?

As always, you love being outside, but now instead of sitting in the stroller, you like to stand. You get quite grumpy if I make you sit, so I give in. Plus, you are just so dang happy standing there. I love your smile.

We celebrated your birthday (and Kylee's birthday) on Sunday with family and friends. You loved your cupcake (especially the frosting). You weren't really sure about opening presents, but you are enjoying playing with your new toys and reading your new books.

You bring me happiness each and every day. When I am grumpy, I just hold you and think about how much I love you and how Someone must love me to send you to me. I am blessed.

Love,
Mom