1 Year Old

Sweet Cade, you are 1 year old!  I can't decide if it seems like just yesterday or if it seems like a lifetime ago that you were our tiny newborn baby.  The changes you have gone through and the incredible ways in which you have grown over the last 12 months are truly amazing.  I've said it before, but watching you grow and learn is undoubtedly life's greatest gift.  We are so proud to be your parents and we love you SOOOOOOOO much!  Here are your 12 month stats:

• You weigh 21lbs, 4oz (25th %tile).  The doctor was a little concerned about your weight at this check-up.  Your appetite is great and you eat A LOT!  We can't figure out why you're not gaining very much weight.  She suggested that we see an allergist and a gastro. doctor to see why you keep hurling - though you don't do it quite as often anymore.  Don't worry, you don't look skinny!  You look absolutely perfect.
• You are 30.75 inches tall (78th %tile) and your head is 19.25 inches (97th %tile). 
• You wear size 18 month clothing, size 5 shoe, and size 4 diapers.
• You have 7 teeth (three on bottom, 4 on top).
• You will stay on formula for a while to help you gain weight.  Right now you have four 5oz. - 6oz.  bottles a day.
• You love to eat and will eat just about anything.  You really like meats (chicken, turkey) and yogurt.  You cry when all the yogurt is gone.  It's hard not to laugh.  :) 
• You're smart and you are learning how to talk!  You say the beginning sounds of a few words (bubble, dog, ball, bye-bye).  You say PU for up.  It's very cute!  You understand and follow a lot of words/directions like give kisses, give that to mommy, play ball, arms up, say bye-bye to paci, turn the lights on/off, stand up, no. 
• You are pulling up on everything and you cruise along furniture.  You walk pushing a walker.  We're anxiously awaiting your first steps. 
• You still love to explore and play with your toys, but you are wanting to be around us more and more. 
• You're becoming somewhat attached to "snuggle bear".  You don't cry for him, but you get really happy when we give him to you.  You sleep with him now.  Every time you pick him up you hold him against your cheek.  You've started to put your head down on soft blankets and stuffed animals and "love" them. 
• You give the best hugs in the whole wide world!  You wrap your arms around our necks and squeeze tight. 
• You are still a very happy, social, easy to please baby (for the most part) but you can get pretty fussy when you don't get what you want.  :) 

Thanks for a great year sweet Cade!  You are so loved!

Celebrate!

We’ve had lots to celebrate over the past few days...Thanksgiving and Cade's first birthday!  GJ and Randall Pop came down to celebrate and we were so thankful to have family around.  We spent Thanksgiving cooking, eating, and watching football.  We had lots of yummy food and I was sure to eat extra to make up for last year! 

Ali and Sandy came over to celebrate Cade's birthday with us.  It was a small, sweet get together.  We had pizza and cupcakes, opened presents, and watched Cade get his first taste of cake - quickly followed by Cade throwing up his first taste of cake.  Poor baby!  GJ and Randall Pop brought TONS of toys and super cute clothes for Cade's birthday and for Christmas and Grandma Vicki and Grandaddy sent Cade an awesome toy box to store everything in.  Thank you grandparents!   I'll check back in with birthday news!

 

Dog...???

This morning we met my friend Rachel from work at Sims Lake Park to have family pictures taken.  The park was gorgeous and it was the most beautiful fall day.  Cade did pretty well, he wasn't his usual smiley self, but he didn't cry either.  Considering he missed his morning nap, it wasn't too bad! 

There were lots of dogs around while we were taking pictures and Cade would kick his legs and say "da" each time we passed one.  The first time I thought it was a fluke, but he did it a few times in a row.  Later in the day Cade and I went to another park to play and sure enough, he got all excited and said, "da!" when he saw a dog.  An old man brought his dog over to us so Cade could pet him.  It was very cute!  And tonight while we were reading we came to a page with dogs on it and he smiled and said "da" again.  Is he trying to say dog???  I never thought I would be so confused about Cade's first few words.  I really can't tell if he's saying words or not.  I guess I always thought that a baby's first words sounded more like the real thing, but maybe that's not always true.  I sure hope he isn't too disappointed when he asks what his first word was and I have to tell him that I'm not really sure!  :)  I'm putting my money on daddy, followed by mama, then dog.

I Love Surprises!

After graduating from college I spent a few months in Nantucket with some friends.  While we were there, we discovered a yummy beer called Whale's Tail Pale Ale.  I've always talked about it to Todd, but I've never been able to find it around here.  I even tried to order it online a few years ago and found out it was only sold in Nantucket.  Imagine my surprise when Todd pulled out a bottle when he got home from work today!  So sweet!  It turns out they now sell it all the way down here in GA! 

Today a friend from work brought me all of these board books for Cade.  I absolutely love kids' books so I was thrilled to receive these!  We added a few to Cade's bookshelf and we'll stash away the others for now.  I was super excited about all of the Christmas books we got!

When I got home from work last Friday I had a special delivery from my mom on the front porch.  It was an edible arrangement with congratulations balloons (for finishing up my masters).  I've never gotten one of these before and it was delicious!  Thanks Mom!