Our 1 year old

Dear sweet Banks,

One year... 365 days (actually - I guess it was 366 since you were born in a leap year)... 525,948 minutes of pure wonder, fear, laughter, surprise, tears, joy, smiles and hugs.

Look how much you have grown and changed! I look back at the pictures of this tiny baby from the hospital and you look so different now. When I look hard, I see your features behind those swollen, fat cheeks. I can see the smile that will come about 8 weeks later. I look at those tiny fingers that stayed balled up for so long and I can't believe those are the same fingers that blow me kisses today. And I can almost, almost, remember that fresh baby lotion smell that you had before you started to get so mobile. I can still rub you down with lotion, but somehow it's a different smell now.


January 18, 2008 - the day you came into the world and changed your mommy and daddy forever!
And now, I look at those bright blue eyes and I can't help but smile! They are so full of life! You are such a happy, sweet child. You love everything... especially mommy and daddy! You are so much bigger than that baby I brought home from the hospital, and infinitely more fun with each day that passes. How can you change so much in just one year? Just one year.

At one year, you are such a busy body! What are you doing now?

- You can walk using just the support of one hand holding ours. Each day you get a little better at balancing yourself, but you still won't venture out to take a step on your own, and you won't stand for very long without holding something or someone.

- You are a piggy! This morning you ate an entire banana and container of yogurt and about 5 ounces of milk. I've never seen you eat so much. Maybe a growth spurt is in store for us!

- What words are you saying? Mama, Dada, shoes, all done, bye-bye, and no! This morning I would hand you a toy, and if I handed you the wrong one, you said "no!"

- You are a climber. You want to climb everything! You climb the furniture, you try to climb out of the bath tub, you climb your little chair, you climb mommy and daddy and you climb out of your stroller when I forget to strap you in.

- You dance! Any time you hear music, you start bobbing your head and bouncing up and down. Doesn't matter what kind of music... you just love any music!

- You shake your head 'no' and 'yes' - although you prefer 'no!' In recent days, you've begun to do it at appropriate times so I feel like you understand the words.

- While you love all of your toys, some of your favorite things to do involve opening and closing doors, cabinets and drawers.

- You quit your paci! However, you are very fond of a lovey. Your Missy gave you one and you have grown pretty attached. Good thing I found more so we have several!

- When I hand you a shoe, you say "Shooos" and hit your foot with them. You can't put them on, but you know where they go!

- You drink whole milk now! Big boy! You are a champ with it too... no difficult transitions for you! And... you quit your bottles! You use sippy cups with no trouble!

- You have seven sweet little teeth!



Banks, you are so precious to us and we love you so much! You love life, you love your family, you love your puppies... you love everything! You are the most amazing thing to ever happen to us. It's a joy to watch you grow up and to care for you.

We love you more than you can imagine...
Mommy and Daddy