ONE!

April 29, 2011

Dear Riggins,

One year ago, at 9:47 a.m., you entered this world.  When they placed your squirmy, wet little body on my chest, I laughed, cried, and said, "Hi, Buddy!"  And for the past year, you have been just that.  My little buddy, never far from my side.  Together, we have made it through this year, and it has been the best year of my life.

At one year old, you weigh 22.4 pounds (43%) and are 30 1/2 inches long (74%).  You wear size 12 month clothing and size 4 diapers.  You sleep from 6:30 to 6:00 each night and nap twice each day for an hour in the morning and two hours in the afternoon.  Though you still nurse when you wake up, before your afternoon nap, and at bedtime, you started drinking whole milk at meal times this month.  It took you a couple of weeks to warm up to it, but now you're chugging it like a champ!  You really love to eat, and your favorites include meatballs, macaroni and cheese, pot roast, eggs, pancakes and waffles, sweet potatoes, veggies, watermelon, cheese, and grapes.  

You are pretty steady on your feet these days, pulling up and cruising on everything.  You can stand independently for several seconds and "walk" all around the house with your push toy.  "Dada" is your word of choice, although you can gesture for just about anything you want.  This has given me a bit more inspiration to work on baby signing.  If you even hear the phrase "bye bye," you begin to wave, and you now wave hello as well.  After getting your 12-month shots today, you even spontaneously waved bye bye to the nurse in the midst of your alligator tears, red face, and wailing.  Sweet boy.  

Your little personality is has really flourished this month.  While you are still a very laid back and happy baby, we are starting to see a bit of an independent stubborn streak as well.  You do not like to be told no, and you respond by either feigning innocence and smiling back at us, or by literally hanging your head and crying.  It is so hard for us to hold back the laughter when you get dramatic!  

This month was full of fun adventures.  We visited friends in Kansas City, started a zoo membership, and celebrated your first Easter.  Of course the highlight of the fun was your first birthday party.  Both sets of grandparents made the trip to celebrate with you, and we were joined by a small group of our friends who have been a part of your life this year.  The morning was just as I imagined it would be, and it filled my heart with sweet memories that I will carry forever: your face as you caught a glimpse of balloons for the first time, your face-plant approach to attacking your first birthday cake, the joy in your eyes as you stood in your brand new wagon.  It was just a sweet, precious day. 

What I wasn't prepared for was how emotional your birthday would be for me.  The night before your birthday, I slipped into the nursery before heading to bed.  Instead of sleeping in a ball on your tummy as usual, you were laying flat on your back, completely outstretched.  Your little body took up so much space in your crib, and you just looked like such a big boy.  I tip-toed back to our room and just cried.  The lump in my throat was still there when I took you for a special birthday breakfast at Cafe Eclectic, and it surfaced again when I went to light the candle on your birthday cake.  

The night of your party, your daddy and I sat on the couch and cried together.  Not because we are sad, but because you have made us so very happy.  We love you so much that it hurts to know that our time with you is short, that you are meant to grow and mature and lead a life of your own.  But we rest in the wise words of many friends: it just keeps getting better.  So far, those words have been true.  And so, my buddy, the best is yet to come.  

Godspeed, Little Man.

Love, 

Momma