One Year

Dear Devin,

Happy first year on earth my little lovebug (even though I'm actually writing this a month late)!!! The last week of your first year was pretty rough for you and for Mom. You were sick a full week before your first birthday, and all the way up to the day before, I was afraid you'd be eating applesauce and rice for your birthday dinner. Luckily, you worked through it literally just in time.

I woke up pretty emotional on your birthday. I am so excited for all the adventures ahead, but I have loved this year we've spent together so much, and it's hard to realize you won't be my baby forever. In fact, you've been my baby for one very short year, and it's been more incredible than I can describe! I just didn't feel ready for it to end (I think I still don't just yet).

You had 3 teeth finally out by your first birthday, and your little toothy grin is absolutely contagious! You are also standing constantly, and occasionally sneak in a step or two. Your balance is there, and you can squat down and stand back up again, you're just working up to actually having the confidence to walk all alone. Jackie (our sweet nanny) is working at it all the time because she loves to encourage you to stretch yourself.

You have LOVED our new house. I could tell the moment your crib was up in your room that you knew we were home. You love climbing up and down the stairs, and you handle them like a champ! you've also been very fascinated with the windows and the floors. you'll stand at the upstairs windows and look out for as long as I'll sit with you, watching people and just seeing what's outside. You also went back and forth across our new rug over and over, clearly trying to figure out and compare the new textures, and exploring how they felt as you crawled over them.

While you aren't saying many words yet, you love to shake your head no, and even nod your head yes, though I'm pretty sure you still don't know exactly what either means. You started saying "Uh Oh", which is super adorable, and you also point and say "Go, Go, GO!" when you want Jackie to take you outside or to the park.

You love music, and Mama's keyboard is getting more use than it's had in months (I'm a little embarrassed to admit) as you plunk away on the keyboard, and experiment pushing all the different buttons. I am happy to let you play around, as it brings me hope you'll learn to play it for real someday. But you'll also dance to music you come across anywhere. In fact, you've occasionally held still for a diaper change in restrooms with Jazzy music playing because you were too busy grooving to the tunes. And seriously, while often you dance, sometimes you just like to groove to the music. It's crazy cute.

You went to your first Halloween party (even though it was only September. At Disney the holidays stretch out longer than anywhere else) and of course, you had to dress up as Jack-Jack from the Incredibles. But just to keep things somewhat original, Dad dressed up as Syndrome, and Mom was Kari (the babysitter).

You basically love any food we will feed you. Spicy, sour, pickled, sweet, and everything in between. So far you are most likely to spit out chocolate though, even in chocolate milk form. One of your favorite things is soup. You love any kind of soup, which I only started feeding you one day after stopping at Panera instead of driving home through traffic. You couldn't get enough of my tomato basil soup and bread.

This month was such an adventure, and you're growing and learning every day. You've continued to sleep through the night, which is AWESOME, and I love how happy you are to get up every morning. Devin, this past year has been the most incredible year of our lives. There's nothing that compares to the joy and adventure of parenthood. Thank you for being our adorable, sweet, lovely little guy. We can't imagine what this year would have been without you, and we're so excited for so many years to come!

xoxoxox,

Mom and Dad


Devin 1 year from Rachel Cottle on Vimeo.