Dear William, Happy First Birthday. We are so glad you’re here. The first months of your life were so trying, especially for this mama, but now you’re at such a fun age. 
There have been so many things to love this past year as we’ve watched you grow. It is amazing to see how you could change from such an unaware little bundle to a walking, jabbering, smiling, thoughtful little guy. So what does one-year-old William do that makes him so fun? He smiles (A LOT). People say he’s one of the happiest babies they’ve ever met. He’s generally good with crowds and strange places. Recently (finally) he’s become a bit more of a mama’s boy and sometimes needs a good leg-hug just to make sure she’s kept close enough.
He says a handful of words–when he is in the mood of course. Blue, banana, ball, yellow, mama, daddy, no, yah, uh-oh and lately eee-I-eee-I-Oh! He is walking and not just barely. He has been walking for about a month now and has recently made great progress in that area. He is beginning to use a fork and spoon (with some help), although if you asked him he would probably claim he did it all by himself. He has learned to push chairs around, but has not yet learned to climb up on them. He crawls up stairs proficiently and is learning to go down stairs and get from a couch, chair, etc by going feet first.
He will eat almost anything. He sleeps pretty consistently 8-9 hours at night at a stretch, but still likes his 5am “feeding” (aka snuggle time) before being ready for the day at about 7:30am. He generally takes 2 naps, although sometimes just one, and sometimes he really needs 3. He currently enjoys climbing in and out of baskets, drawers and boxes and putting lids on and off of things. He has had one “haircut” just to trim the long ends around his ears. He continues to suck his thumb, usually when he is tired or insecure. He is NOT a snuggler. Rocking makes no sense to him. He has 8 teeth and more on the way. He hasn’t had an ear infection or a fever and for this we are thankful. He was never a baby who spit up. He is beginning to understand daily routines…combing your hair, putting on clothes, having his diaper changed. He’s on his second pair of shoes. He loves the outdoors. His daddy is already his hero.
I love him. I love his fuzzy hair. I love the way he smells right after a bath. I love the way he hugs my leg.
I like how when we’re around a group of people he seeks out my lap and sucks his thumb for comfort. The past year has been a long and exhausting one, but I will miss it. He will continue to grow and entertain us but will no longer be a baby as he has been. My baby is growing into a full-fledged toddler and his little brain grows and changes more each day. Soon there will be running instead of walking, and the words will start to give us a window into what he’s really thinking. I’m excited to see what the coming year has in store. Happy Birthday little man!
