One Year

Unlike Maggie's first year, which seemed to me very full and very timely, it seems impossible that a year has already passed since we welcomed Howie to the world and to our family.

We have felt a huge transition in the past few weeks, and I think we are entering a very fun stage with our little man. I remember loving this age with Mags, and so far it is not disappointing.

From learning to stretch his limbs to his vocal chords, he is growing and changing and developing in so many amazing ways. His little (or rather large!) personality is practically bursting out of him. He is constantly making us (and others) smile, laugh and run after him.

He knows no boundaries. As I've written lately, he will climb over, through, around and off of just about anything. No walking yet, but he cruises everywhere and can speed-crawl like an olympian. Poor Mags. He wants to be everywhere she is - and have everything she has - once he's walking she won't have a moment's peace.

He is crazy, frankly. 100% energy. 100% spaz.

He loves to say and wave hi and bye, which is absolutely adorable and is also amazing to me as a parent when I recall the blank stares that Maggie would give when people said hi or bye to her. Oh wait. She still does that.

He also loves anything with wheels. I can't remember if I've mentioned this or not. He's absolutely obsessed with them. Even though his only words right now are "hi," "bye," and "dada" (which he says for everything), he will take a car (or a train or a box or a graham cracker) and go, "vvvvvvvv" as he moves it across the floor.

He LOVES the bath. We used to love this, as it was a go-to "happy time" for him. Now everyone loathes it. He is the biggest tub splasher I have ever seen. It's like he has determined how to get the most water up with each splash. Maggie often chooses to take solo baths. However, this is a frequent exchange:

"Howie! STOP!! I'm SO SAD! You're getting me SO WET!"

"Well, Mags, you ARE in the tub..."

 Oh - and CURLS! A recent and very unexpected turn of events. I'm not sure what to make of it yet, as some days are super curly and other days it goes back to being dead straight...I think I'll let it grow for awhile and see what it decides.

He still loves to eat. Not sure how this kid remains in the 8th percentile for weight, but I'm just chalking it up to the fact that he inherited his dad's metabolism.

Oh, and he's started screaming like a girl. Mostly when he's mad. (Maggie may have the attitude, but he's got the temper!) But also just to be loud. Like in a restaurant. Or at 2:30 a.m. That's my personal favorite.

 Yep, that pretty much sums it up.