happy first birthday, garrett!

Dear Garrett,

Happy birthday, my baby boy! One year ago today, you entered this world and my life. As I look at you now, playfully scooting around, exploring and mimicking everything around you, it's hard to remember how tiny and helpless you once were. The day you were born is still crisp in my mind, though life before that is getting harder to remember. A life without you just isn't complete!

You've done a lot of growing up in the last year, and I won't hesitate to say that a good chunk of it happened in this last month. For one, you are mobile! I've waited a good long time to see you scooting about, and I can honestly say that I'm so happy to finally see you on-the-go that I don't mind the messes you leave in your wake. I can't proclaim that you are technically crawling; your preferred method is more of a monkey-like scuffle on your bottom. But it gets you where you want to go (usually the bookcases and the scanner), and that makes all of us happy.

Speaking of mobility, you have also recently developed the skill to pull yourself up to a stand (and not just when you're being cheered on). It's made putting you down for naps and bedtime in your crib a little more challenging, and it's been the result of a few more bumps, bruises, and tears, but it makes me feel so proud to see you standing tall. Before too much longer, you'll be brave enough to move your feet without my hand-holding help, and won't that be fun!

You have also been busy growing teeth. This month you sprouted three more, all on the top, thus bringing your total number of pearly whites up to five. They were the reason for some days and nights of painful crankiness, but to watch you eat is to assure me that you're glad to have them. You've started favoring bite-sized portions of "grown-up" foods to your pureed meals, which you like to either feed yourself or have me feed to you using a fork. Your favorite dish is meatloaf with a sticky Dum-Dum sucker for dessert. I have to admit that I'm quite fond of your toothy smile with its accompanying scrunched up nose, and, now that you're getting bigger, wouldn't trade it back for your gummy grin for anything.

Warm summer weather has taken us outdoors more often. After a few tries, you finally decided that you enjoy bathing in the sprinklers and fountains at the park just as much as you like being pushed high on the swings. Sadly, spending more time in the blossoming sunshine has made me and your doctor realize that you've got a bad case of seasonal allergies. It breaks my heart to watch you sniffling and sneezing when you should be smiling and happy, so hopefully we'll be able to soon find a way to calm down those miserable symptoms. Sitting on our front stoop with you in the cool of the evening, blowing bubbles or just watching people walk past, is quickly becoming a favorite past time, and I find myself looking forward to that time each day.

Garrett, my boy, I love you! It's been wonderful getting to spend the last year with you, and I am eager for many more to come. Keep growing healthy and strong, just as you are, but don't forget that you will always be my first-born baby boy.

Love,
Mama