2/28/08

12 months


Weight: 20 pounds
Height: 30 inches

Zane,

One year ago you entered our world and changed our lives forever. Cliche to say, but oh so true. Watching you grow and take in the scenery surrounding our lives has taught your Dad and I to relish in the everyday things. Who knew we would get as excited as you to see a fan spinning or the flicker of a light turning on?



You stepped right into your first birthday, literally. Your first few steps were at Grandma's and you saved it for Mommy and Daddy to see. Since then you've taken lots of steps but you still would rather crawl there. Fastest means necessary I guess. You seem to walk more when we're not "looking" than when we try to encourage you. Guess that's a bit of Mommy and Daddy in you were you'd like to figure things out on your own. You did grab onto Daddy's pants the other day and just started walking with him. It was SO cute and Daddy couldn't have been prouder of you.

We are not in a huge rush to have you walking as crawling everywhere, at lightning speed, keeps us busy enough. As I used the restroom the other day you played in our bedroom. Not a big deal until I walk out and see that you have unplugged our phone charger and are chewing on the plug. Lovely! At least you unplugged it first!


When we say no to such activities you have several reactions. Sometimes you just go about your business like nothing happened and other times you make this noise that really does seem like your way of cussing at us to tell us how you feel about being told no. Recently you have become Mr. Drama and react by throwing your head back and letting out one of the most annoying sounds ever. I thought this didn't start till two? Who lied to us?


Your relationship with Truman got you into a bit of trouble this month. While at Grandma's you threw a piece of food on the ground for him. In the excitement of a sliver of food Truman rounded the chair to get it which sent the chair tipping. Somehow you landed your head into the dog bowl nearby instead of on the brick floor. Grandma said you cried a bit but then were fine. She however is still stressed about it and was in tears as she told me about it. We reassured her that everything was fine and that you are a trooper. There was just a small bruise that lasted a few days. Yet you continue to feed Truman and in fact laugh hysterically as you do this sometimes. You must think Truman licking your hand is funny or you're laughing at us trying to stop you.

This set of bruises was just the beginning of all your falling and tipping of things onto your head. That head of yours takes a real beating! I wonder as I take you through a store if people think bad things about my parenting. I want to put a sign on you that says "We have all wood floors and socks + wood floors = head into wall, floor, table, etc." I think you have inherited your mom's gene for the ability to fall. Sorry about that one!

The past couple of weeks you've decided you don't have enough bruises so you follow your shadow along the wall as you crawl. You stop in mid crawl and look at the wall and ponder the shadow and then all of sudden BANG your head on the wall over and over. I don't know if you're trying to catch the shadow or what you are doing but you repeat and then eventually crawl more to see where the shadow went. It looks like it hurts but really all we can do is laugh because it is hilarious!


Truman's toys have become your toys. Poor Truman because we tell him no to playing with your toys but we basically gave up telling you no to his squeaky bones and fun toys. We hope that saying that a dog's mouth is cleaner than a human's is true because somehow the toy always ends up in your mouth. You do share though and Truman is eating up having someone who will play with him besides us boring adults. If you could figure out how to throw the ball farther he will be even happier.


You have a new love for teddy bears that laugh. We have three now and you grab them, smile from ear to ear and cuddle with them. I'm not sure what it is about the little kid laugh they have when you squeeze them but you can't get enough. Your Great Aunt Beth sent you one for your birthday and you have been attached to him from then on. It freaks Daddy and I out at night when we hear a laughing child through the monitor. You must roll over onto it when you're asleep. Or you're up playing, who knows!

You also love brushing your teeth or maybe I should say biting the toothbrush. You sit still and let me attempt to brush and hold your chin up just right. It cracks me up that you seem to know what to do with this and you're a huge fan of the strawberry toothpaste.


Another love you have is to watch Daddy and I give each other a kiss. You smile and sometimes clap. If we're holding you and kiss sometimes we'll get you to lean in and kiss one of us with a big open mouth sloppy baby kiss. I can't wait for more of those! And I do realize there will be a day when you're grossed out by Daddy and I kissing...but sorry we'll still kiss!


You haven't said a word yet but boy are you close! Dog is almost there but you just have to figure out the G a bit more. You understand what the word means and point to Truman and pictures of dogs and say
DO. Lights is Ligh and Bir came out yesterday when I was showing you pictures of birds. So we're close! I was a bit worried about no clear words yet and then as walked outside from the doctor's office the other day I said brrrr and you repeated it right after me. Of course I couldn't get you to do it again but it was as if you were saying, "I'm all good Mommy."


You went to your first sporting event thanks to your Uncle Brian. Your Uncle works for the Blue Jackets so we had the backstage tour. You just looked at everything and watched as people zoomed by in preparation for the game. At the game itself you watched the players skate around and loved all of the lights and things to watch. I was a bit worried about you being antsy but you were so good and just wanted to switch who was holding you every now and then. And of course you flirted with the women sitting around us!

You are officially onto whole milk and eating our food. It's nice to not have to buy formula anymore and to be done with making baby food. Some days you eat like a champ and other days you don't feel like anything except bread. You prefer to have items off of our plates because that is so much better than the same item that has been placed on your tray! Daddy and I are still getting used to this and are learning the amount of food we need to make so that we get a meal too.


This is just one of the many major changes that seem to be happening before our eyes. One moment we were carefully holding your tiny head in place and now we're preventing you from slamming your head on something when you tantrum. Your cries are different, you look so big in your bed now, your react to us and copy us but yet we're still amazed every time you do something. The little swirl your hair makes is more defined and your baby look is slowly fading into toddlerness. It makes us stop our busy selves and watch you take in your world and learn new things.



Zane you have no idea how you have changed us. You have made us better people and continue to challenge us to look how we can help others and be an example to you. All this with just being able to utter do, ligh and bir. I can't wait for more!!!

Love you sweetpea,
Mommy & Daddy

Check out more 12 month photos here.