Happy First Birthday Holt!

Stats:
20 lbs (10%)
31 in (75%)
Size 4 diaper
Size 3.5 shoe
12 mos clothes

Excuse the delay, I have been just a tad busy and overwhelmed with the move to Houston. So one week later, here is what my baby (toddler) boy has been up to this past month. He has been very busy exploring Meme's house, since this will be his new home until our house is done, hoping in December. More on that later...He has been zipping up the stairs, learning to climb off of furniture, and chase her poor handicapped dog around.

-Signs for "more" although sometimes gets it confused with clapping or one hand the right way and the other a palm. If it is meal time and he is doing any of these three motions going "uhhh? uhh?" I know it means more.
-He is understanding commands and questions. "Put mommy's shoe on" and he brings me my shoe and puts it on my foot and "brush your hair" also "where's your hair?" and he grabs his flippies.
-"Talks" on the phone or anything he thinks is a phone, like a remote control.
-Working on the "G" sound to complete his first real word doggie. Still Daaadaaa, with an occasional G in there
-Pushes everything while standing so he can practice walking, or any toy can be a car that he pushes on the floor
-Climbs off furniture the right way, thank goodness for this new skill!
-Loves giving his stuffed animals kisses. He grabs them and hugs them very tight with his mouth open on their noses going "ahhhhh, ahhhh"
-He's a climber
-He knows when he is wrong. He will look at me and smile before doing something or just look at me for reassurance. He has even started to hand me small objects on the floor he knows he should not have...unless it's food in which he eats that.
-Loves to feed himself with a spoon, but this doesn't happen all the time due to the huge mess he creates!
-I think he could be entertained by my makeup bag and it's contents for hours
-Plays peekaboo with anything
-We play ball, he pushes, throws or kicks it to me



Some new foods he tried:
-Sausage
-Spaghettios
-Happy Meal (nuggets and apples)
-Pimento Cheese
-Watermelon
-Cantaloupe
-Edamame
-Ice Cream



Like my kicks?

He is a very happy absolute joy to be around. He keeps me very busy and on my toes and I wouldn't change a minute. He's my best little buddy!

To my baby boy on his 1st Birthday

You would think I would know exactly what to say about you and your future, but the truth is, I don't even know where to begin. I can't describe what it was like to hear you cry for the first time, I can't explain how tired I was the first few months, I can't describe what it feels like to be your mom, and I can't describe how much I love you. Holt Cannon you are nothing short of a blessing in my life. You have only been here for a year and I cannot remember my life without you. How did it used to feel to wake up in the morning and not rush down the hall to see your bedhead and smiling face? How did it used to feel to go to bed without going into your room and checking to make sure you are breathing? (Yes, I still do this and I don't see it stopping anytime soon). When I say "Mommy loves you" before you go to bed each night, that doesn't even begin to describe what my heart feels for you, son.

I feel the early days, your newborn days slipping away. The memories fade so quickly, but not as quickly as you are growing. It's hard to picture you back then when I know you now. For as long as I can remember you have had more energy than anyone I have ever seen. Even when you are still, you are moving. You are wiggling your feet or rolling your hands, you just want to move constantly. Just like in my belly. The doctor said I should feel at least 10 movements an hour, you were more like 10 movements a minute. Daddy says this is a sure sign you will be an athlete, you have too much built up energy not too.

Daddy and I were looking at some pictures of me when I was pregnant with you and he said, "How can you even say you enjoyed this? You look so uncomfortable." I didn't think for a second about my response and I told him "Because it was just me and Holt, he was all mine." Luckily for other people, I get to share you now. Your personality is bigger than you are and everyone that meets you says you are the funniest, sweetest, orneriest little thing. You have the sweetest smile, but this silly laugh to go with it that says "I may be cute, but I am up to something." Strangers tell you how friendly you are. And although you are mistaken for a girl more often than a boy, everyone agrees you are the most handsome little guy. The first thing anyone says when they meet you is, "Those blue eyes!" It's impossible to look at you and not smile. You make my heart smile.

You lay your head on my shoulder and sigh out of no where, to me that means you love me but can't tell me yet. You wrap your legs around me really tight when I pick you up or you don't want me to put you down, to me that means you trust me. You kiss my cheek with the wettest slobbery kisses, to me that means you think I'm pretty (and apparently don't need makeup since you lick it off). You yell or point and smile at me all at once, that means you need me. You can do all of these things now, but in the very beginning, you just looked at me and it meant all of that. You loved me, you trusted me, you needed me. When I was ready hold you after you were born, I said "Hi Holt, it's Mommy." But you already knew that. You were less than an hour old and you looked right at me with a look that said, "I know Mommy." That look changed my life. You changed my life.

You are my best little buddy and watching you grow has been my greatest reward in life so far. I can't wait until you walk alongside me holding my hand or we practice baseball in the backyard (Shhh, don't tell Daddy. He will think I'm ruining your skills). With the first year behind us, we have so much ahead. And all too soon, you will be running away from me to school, to a date, to college...it will all be too soon.

I know you will be something great in life. You don't do a single thing until you know you can do it well and give it 100%. You like to figure things out. You like recognition. You like people. You know how to make people laugh. You know how to love.
I'll love you forever
I'll like you for always
As long as I'm living
My baby you'll be

Holt the Spaz

This is my child...constantly. He has this much energy ALL the time. No wonder he sleeps for 12 hours at night. He just started doing this move this week, not sure why but it's pretty funny.