It’s been snowing around here, but this winter was really mild. And for Austin’s birthday, the snow was gone and it was beautiful out. That post coming soon. First birthdays come with gobs of photos, so it deserves its own post.
But here he is on his actual birthday, enjoying quesadillas with his sisters.
I took pictures of him in the dark with me, the night before he turned one, but I’m not posting them here because they’re blurry and he’s wide awake and I’m sorts of exposed but I wanted photos since I had them with both girls before they turned one.
This last year has been…whew. Wild. Chaotic. Lots of highs and lots of lows. My last little baby (really the last one this time, is a year and while he’s still my baby, he’s now getting more toddler-like.
He was NOT in the mood for his one-year photo session.
Stats
Weight: 17 lbs 12 oz
Length: 29.5 in
Diaper size: 3
Clothing size: 9 months and 12 months, shoe size 3
Teeth: Still just the 6
Eating
Austin tried Cheerios for the first time this month, which he loved. He still likes his little puffs and yogurt drops for a snack, but with Cheerios, it’s a bit easier on the wallet.
He also had his first taco and is a huge fan. When we do tacos, which is about once a week, we now make him his own instead of giving him a plate of deconstructed taco. He thinks it’s great.
Food is just the best thing in the world to this baby. Yogurt and berries, tacos, soup, grilled cheese, waffles, scrambled eggs, pizza, spaghetti, cheese—he loves it all. Scarfs it. Double fists it while scarfing it. I love this age. He eats anything and everything.
We’re pretty good at giving him two meals a day consistently, and sometimes we make it to three. And sometimes it’s just one meal and I feel guilty, but OMG it’s so much work with the cleaning.
He’s been nursing well throughout the day and before naps and bedtime. Always overnight. That hasn’t changed. I can count on one hand, probably three times total actually, where he slept through the whole night. We’ve started trying more consistently to give him the thawed breastmilk I worked so hard in those early months to pump around the clock. Luckily, he digs that too, though boobs continue to be his jam.
Sleeping
Well like I said above, his sleep is less than to be desired. He’s up consistently every night to nurse and it varies. The best is when it’s more 3:30 to 4 or even slightly later; the worst is when it’s 30 minutes to an hour after I get in bed and fall asleep. There are nights when Chris goes up to bed and all I want is to watch Roseanne reruns and crochet and sit by myself without anyone else needing me and suddenly I get a notification from his camera that he’s up.
And he doesn’t quit. When the girls were little, oftentimes they would cry for 10 to 20 minutes and then fall back asleep. This boy though. Dude is incapable of putting himself back to sleep on his own and only will when I nurse him back to sleep. Total Mama’s boy I tell you. And it’s been fun and everything, but I’ve been really tired for the last almost-two years and would really enjoy getting a solid night’s sleep.
As for naps, he’s on two a day, but also enjoys not sleeping for those either.
Milestones
The day after he turned 11 months, he walked holding onto his walker down the hall and was so proud of himself. Then, about 2 weeks later, he started standing on his own and balancing. From then on, he would always crawl over to us if we were sitting on the floor, climb up on us, and stand there, balancing. He’s so close to walking!
Austin got a convertible car seat last week since he was getting to the upper limits on his infant seat. He loves sitting more upright in the car and can see better out the window. It’s actually really cute watching him in the mirror look out the window while we’re driving.
He also loves when his sister stacks blocks and he can knock them over.
He’s still babbling, “Mama!” over and over and it’s the best when I go, “Say, Mama!” and he smiles and goes, “Mmm Mama! Mama! Mama!”
But not Dada, much to Chris’s dismay. Lots of Babas! and Gagas! though.
Personality
He’s still just a very happy baby. Of course, he definitely lets us know when he’s not and can give the saddest little cries when he’s unhappy, but overall, he loves life. He gets ferocious before meals when we’re trying to prepare them as fast as possible, but it’s not fast enough and he starts screeching and hollering at the top of his lungs.
Health
Austin’s been healthy this month. There were a few nights we gave him ibuprofen because we thought he was teething, but so far, there’s been no new teeth coming in except for the same six.
He did great at his 12-month check that Chris took him to and did well with his shots. He seemed tired that night but otherwise slept as usual.
Likes
In addition to loving stroller rides and staring out the window while we’re driving, he also loves wagon rides. Last weekend was beautiful, and we spent almost the whole day outside doing yard work and prepping the yard for spring. We found the red Radio Flyer wagon in the shed that I got secondhand when Olivia was a baby, and after hosing it off, I walked the kids up and down the street and back, with Emelia and Austin in the wagon. Olivia was happy to pull them but wanted a ride too.
He also loves sitting on the floor in the living room looking at his basket of toys. He loves pulling each one out, sampling them, and throwing them to the side or gnawing on them for a bit before reaching for the next.
He also loves his sisters, playing in their room, eating, looking at his books, baths, walks outside, crawling and exploring, being held, nursing, and being up to no good in my office when I’m trying to work.
Dislikes
Being put down, sleeping, and now, grass. On the day of his first wagon ride, he explored grass with his bare feet and was NOT a fan. So…apparently we need to work on that.
Undecided about
Car rides (though really, he’s more indifferent. I don’t think he really minds them), certain foods like chicken, steak, bell peppers, and vegetables, meeting strangers.
Looking forward to
I’m definitely looking forward to him walking. He’s so close. It’s going to be next month. Also, I’m looking forward to spending more time with him outside, going on walks, and doing the usual summer things. And? His first birthday parties are this weekend. He’s getting two, since both our families are pretty big, so we’re trying to split the parties to see if it keeps the chaos to a minimum.
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