Sigh. I keep typing and deleting what I write. There's no way to express how much joy this little baby has brought to this family. He's just that awesome. W has this 4-piece puzzle of his favorite Thomas the Tank Engine. It's only 4 pieces because it's meant for toddlers. But everytime I look at it, I see our family. It's simple and complete and all the pieces fit perfectly. That is our family.
He was quiet at first. Then it seemed he wouldn't sleep or stop crying. Eventually, he fixed all that and decided not to do anything at all, content to watch our chaotic daily opera with not so much as a grin on his face. He became the cool one of the group. Silent but ever present. What is our little man now?
Well, he's full of giggles and smiles now. Much more expressive than before. But what's really admirable (and I truly envy this) is how he is able to completely block out W when he loses his shit. And if he's feeling any anxiety at all about that scary loud noise or stranger talking to him while waiting in line, you would never know. He just takes it all in, as if saying to himself, "I'm just going to wait and see where this goes." Such a cool customer.
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| Having fun with daddy at mealtime. Those hands. |
I know time flies when you're having fun, but this is just plain ridiculous. N is a year old. ONE YEAR!!! I always had a hunch that someone was actually physically messing with time. You know just sitting there with the "master" clock and just speeding up all the good stuff. But now I REALLY do think that is a possibility. I look at N's sweet little face and it doesn't seem like it's changed much since he was a newborn. I remember W changed so much that first year. I could literally put a dozen photos of him next to each other and you would swear they were different babies. But not my N. He has that same knowing smile and sweet eyes that he had a year ago. So you see, there's no way it's been a year. Unh-unh. Nope. His cheeks are shamelessly big, even though my mom swears that he's losing weight. Sigh. And his thighs. Don't get me started on his thighs. Glorious. If it weren't so cold in our house, I'd have him hang out in diapers all day. Just so I could stare at those HoneyBaked hams.
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| I'm loving life!!!! |
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| Makes me do this. |
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| My hair? Awesome? What's that mean? |
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| Oh stop! I don't have any hair regimen! |
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| Why do I always lift my arms up? Cause it shows off my belly. Yeah, baby! |
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| That's all I got. |
One thing is also insists on persisting is his damn eczema. It is awful. It looks just like W's did on his ankles. But unlike W, this just won't go away. It all over his beautiful body. Poor little N isn't as tolerant either. All the things that didn't bother W, like teething, fevers, rashes....makes N crazy. And rightfully so, of course.
Though N wasn't too sure about his big brother at first, I have witnessed with my own eyes how much he has grown to love him. And it's a good thing, too, because W LOVES his baby brother. Like please-stop-hugging-your brother-because-he's-suffocating kind of love. It's the most amazing thing I get to see. Here I spend most of my life, wishing I had a sibling. And I get to see this impossible dream come true everyday. No words. Just pure joy.
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| W works so hard to make N laugh. Makes me so proud. |
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| Watching TV together. Bonding and they don't even know it. |
N is finally trying to do something other than just sit there. Honestly, I was starting to get worried. He's "delayed" but happily so. I would say right after his first birthday, he decided to start rocking, bringing food to his mouth and go back to sitting position all within 2 weeks. Crazy. This kid is full of surprises.
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| More rad hair. |
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| I can't stop looking at it. |
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| Baby toes!!!! |
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| Oh, hi mom! |
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| Wait, let me get up for this shot. |
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| I don't know why, but he looks like a baby thug with his hair all slicked back. |
I'm more than excited about this coming year. God willing, we're going to try and stay healthy this time around. Maybe squeeze in a few trips. Go on a few more hikes. Eat less (yes, I'm talking about myself). Eat more (I'm talking about W). Lots more memories to be made!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!
