Today you are officially one year old. You want so badly to be big like your sister, and are experimenting with standing on your own and walking between furniture and toys. You are still a bit wobbly, but oh-so-strong and determined. You love to play games and seek us out for a round of hide-and-seek or your favorite, giggling-behind-the-curtains-and-climbing-the-window-with-big-sister. You are are snuggle-bunny, always game for a hug, but also have things do to and places to go and are never still for very long. Your new obsession is anything round that you can roll and hold in your arms - soccer balls, bouncy balls, balloons - and you seek them out, asking for them with gestures and loud noises that aren't-quite-words, and if you see a ball you will shoot out after it, crawling like it's going out of style, sometimes taking a break on the way there but never straying from your goal and smiling like you've just won an Olympic Gold once you have that ball in your arms.
You also love cars - you have taught yourself how to make them roll across the floor, and you always look surprised when it goes fast - and, I swear, were in hog heaven at Home Depot with your dad the other day. He said you couldn't keep your eyes off of the tools. Some things are just innate, I guess. But you do have a soft side, as your other favorite toy is a puppy that we originally bought for your sister. You reach your arms up and ask for it, and give huge smiles and kisses to its nose when we hand it to you.
You're starting to pull at mom's heart strings on purpose, for now instead of just crying or whining when your sister hurts you, you have started to let out a hurt cry BEFORE she has pushed you over or when she is about to take a toy away from you. I come running and realize you were crying wolf - you smart little bugger! You love her above all else, however, and each and every morning you greet each other with huge grins that make mom's morning a little bit easier to bear when she's been up with you three times due to teething or just because you want some private snuggle time. Not that I mind, of course.
You absolutely love water, and attempt to swim in both the pool and the bath tub. You kick and move your arms and just beam with the joy of it all. You prefer to be holding a soccer ball while in the water, too, and have started playing "catch" with dad and mom in the water, pushing the ball to us and then catching it when we push it back.
Your expressions crack me up, from your toothy grin to your gangsta stare to your sweet tired face. When you really like a food, you wiggle your legs, throw your arms out wide, flash a big smile and say "MMMMMMMMMMM!!" Avocados, pesto (on anything), blueberries, grilled pork, corn, and your dad's homemade Catalan-style paella elicit this response. You did not have this reaction to chocolate cupcakes, and are still contemplating your response to Nutella.
You sing in the car, and hum yourself to sleep, and know when it's time for bath and pajama and story time and always seem relieved when this time of day arrives. It's tough being a busy-body like yourself, and tough keeping up with your big sister. But you manage to do it, and every day with you is a gift.
You are an amazing. wonderful, squishy, snuggly, grinning little guy and we love every little thing about you. Happy birthday, buddy!
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