Happy Birthday Baby Doodle

My boy is one today! I can't believe it has been a whole year since I was in the hospital and baby Doodle was just a flexible, skinny, tiny baby who cried and ate and nothing else. He's growing up so fast -- it's such a cliche but it's true. We had a party at our house for BD today. My mother and brother came down from Vermont yesterday, Mr. Doodlebug's parents came from NJ and some of our friends some of whom have babies came too. I guess a one-year old isn't considered a baby any more. That makes me sad.

My brother who works in construction in Vermont made baby Doodle a rocking horse from one giant piece of wood from a sugar maple tree. It is beautiful and BD loves it! We don't have a picture of him riding it, but I'll take one and post it later.

We had good food and company. Baby Doodle ate cake for the first time, in fact it was the first time he's had real sugar (other than fruit). He loved it. He picked up some big chunks and put them in his mouth reaching for more while his cheeks were still packed with the previous bite. But that's how he eats all of his food. He was quite a civilized cake eater.

Some of baby Doodle's developments are:

1. He no longer nurses 12 to 14 times a day. Now he nurses 2 to 3 times a day.
2. He no longer sleeps in our room, and hasn't for a long time.

3. I no longer have to rock him to sleep for his naps. He sleeps in his crib after a little rocking with me.

4. He signs when he wants to be picked up, when he wants more of anything, usually food, when he doesn't want something he shakes head no, but sometimes he does that randomly, he also does the sign for all gone when the story is over or when the food is gone.

5. He puts things away now, instead of just taking them out of their place.

6. He leans in with his mouth open to kiss me, Mr. Doodlebug, his books, pictures of people and pretty much anyone who asks for one.

7. He climbs up the slide at the playground with my hand on his butt.

8. He climbs up the stairs unassisted.

9. He pulls himself up, but does not stand unassisted.

10. He selects a book he wants me to read him and brings it to me holding up. I read it and he turns the pages. With some of the books he knows when to turn the page, with some of them I have to say "turn the page," and he does.

I love him so much. He's sweet and loving and adorable. I feel very lucky.