Sam's First Year

I still can't believe my little boy is one. It is true what everyone says (but you don't really understand until you experience it)- they grow up so fast! And everyone says it goes faster after the first year.

Admittedly, if you've been reading my blog you know the first 4 months with Sam were pretty rough (for both of us). But since then it has gotten better and better, and I love each stage more than the last. I really love this age. It is so fun to watch Sam explore and learn and test the waters (literally, tonight he was trying to stick his face underwater in the bath!) with each new experience. He is the most wonderful gift from God and I love him so much it hurts. It's scary, loving someone so much. It will be sad to watch him grow up and become independent, even though I'm excited to see who he will become. So far, I can say he is sweet natured, fun loving (loves to be tickled and roll around on the couch/bed, tempting you to tickle him), and a little mischievous (looks at you as he is about to stick his face underwater, waiting to see your reaction! Same thing with getting close to rolling off the bed).

He is very attached to me (and I don't say this in a bragging way, though of course in some ways I love it)! Most kids go through some sort of separation anxiety at some point, but he is like my Velcro baby. I hope I didn't somehow make him feel scared or insecure. I'm not sure how I could've done that, but I don't know where the clingy-ness comes from. Again, I am happy to hold him tight though when he clings to me! I guess it's a big unpredictable world when you're that little, and being with your Mom is the most familiar, safe place to be.

Sam takes a little while to warm up to a new situation or new people, but once he does he is a charmer! He loves to flash a grin or point and wave at people when we go to the store, to see who he can get a smile from. And he enjoyed the attention at his birthday party. We had a small party with family this year, just due to lack of space and not having the option to go somewhere outside.He wasn't quite sure what everyone was staring at when he ate his cake, but he loved it (and all the new toys, and balloons too). The video files were too big to fit into one video so this is split in two parts.

(Major bummer, the one picture of all 3 of us did not turn out, it's blurry. But I do love this shot!)