Your big sister was very excited to decorate your 1/2 birthday cupcakes. We felt so bad for you, fighting a horrible ear infection and teething woes, but you mustered up enough energy to wolf down your sister's almost world famous cupcakes.
It's hard to believe that one year ago - at the wee little age of 6 months - you were barely sitting up, still unable to do much by and for yourself. I look back at the pictures and am amazed at how much you've transformed since you joined us a year and a half ago.
During my labor with you, your Oma and Nana were in the room cheering you on right along side your daddy, just waiting for you to finally arrive. One of my most favorite memories after your birth was just being in the room with you and Daddy, watching him hold and stare at you, amazed that you were the one we'd been waiting and praying for. We had a difficult time conceiving you, but that's because it was me trying to control the timing of your arrival. If I had gotten pregnant any other time, you would not be my Grant. I was so blessed to finally meet you, and to now have a son. I felt a little uncertain of being the mommy of a little boy, simply because I had been surrounded by sass and girliness for 2 1/2 years before you arrived. But I loved watching your miracle life before my eyes.
You were so tiny, so quiet and a great sleeper! You slept 8 hours two nights in a row when you were just a week old. I called the pediatrician to see if I should be waking you up to feed you at night and the nurse there said she'd never even heard of a newborn sleeping that long. You were a lover baby, always snuggling and nestling close to me. Having a boy is such a different bonding experience, unique and blessed in a sweet way.
The time flew by (as all moms know) and soon you were smiling, cooing, holding your head up and resting on your belly. You've always had sort of a cotemplative look in your eyes, not one to easily respond to strangers or even relatives you're not very familiar with. Your mind always seems to be observing and taking in life around you, like a sponge.
I remember watching you scoot around the room backwards while in Makawao, cheering you on to crawl. I also remember that trip, watching you begin to respond with great chuckles while being entertained by your big sister. Once we returned home, you began crawling when you were ready. Such a characteristic phrase of your personality...you are not one to be rushed or pushed into anything (just like your daddy, I might add, and a very noble quality at that). You have always taken your time to do things and will not be persuaded otherwise (sometimes a challenge when it's necessary for you to be persuaded, but still a good quality to have a strong mind). I think back to when you turned 1 and we kept trying to get you to walk. And you just weren't ready, until....Father's Day. We had spent the day with family and then returned home, playing and laughing together just the four of us. And suddenly you decided that it was the day to walk - what joy to watch you and to celebrate Father's Day watching you proudly walk back and forth between Daddy and me.
This summer we traveled to Hawaii with you and came back with a more grown up little boy, no longer babyish in features or actions. Very much an independent toddler, making his mark on the world around him. You LOVE the ocean and the vastness of the sandy beaches. You could dig, explore and play in the water all day long. You ran toward the water as though you had been a swimmer your entire life. We had to chase after you to make sure you didn't swim away! You also began responding more to us using ASL, which was exciting to watch you make the connection between the signs and our response to you.
Another aspect that I have enjoyed watching is your bend toward the men in the family. When Daddy gets home, you immediately run toward him. When you see your Papa Henry, you immediately pull away from Gigi and run toward him saying "Pa-Pa." I wonder if you get so excited to see Daddy, knowing that finally there is another male in the house after you've been outnumbered all day.
But recently, in the last several weeks, I've noticed you grow fonder of cuddling up to me again, just like when you were a little baby. You run up and hug me, smile and flirt with your little eyes at me, and really make efforts to communicate with me, either with ASL or your little "Grant language." I love it more than you'll ever know. You still don't call me Mommy or Mama, but I strongly believe you think Daddy and I are both "Da-Da" because that was your first word and that's all I can ever remember being called by you. Madeline tells me all the time that she has heard you call me "Mama" whenever I'm not around - she has heard me talk about it. I know you love me and are attached to me - I just hope that one day I'll hear the words "Mama" come out of your mouth!
I love watching your hands on approach to everything that crosses your path. You love to touch, experience, feel, listen, watch and try new things every day. I take you and Madeline to the library once a week. She likes to read books online and you head straight for the puzzles and other toys. In fact, you turned the librarian's stool upside down and played with the wheels for a while. I thought that was a wonderful way to spend your time at the library - always looking for an adventure. If we stay in the house too long, you begin to fuss and I then know that I've kept you in too long. And you are such a free bird once I get you outside. I love that about you.
Something that I really cherish in our day together is just before nap and bedtime. We sit and read a book or two together; then I hand blue buddy to you and after you finally get cozy, I lay you across the top of my growing belly and we sing Old MacDonald. You think that is the most wonderful song in the world. EEE-III-OHHHH! is what you say and then you sit and listen in anticipation as to what animals I'll sing about this time. When I say lion, you say "Rahhhh"; when I say dog, you say "fff, fff"; when I say kitty, you're still not sure but once you're reminded you say, "ouwwww"; and yesterday at the library, you spontaneously said, "cack, cack" for duck...You amazed me!
Here are some other words in your current vocabulary, that keeps growing each day: Dada, Papa, Oma (I heard you say it just the other day), Nana, Gigi; you do ASL for Milk, More, Bird, Airplane, All Finished, Eat (and you point to your mouth and say "EEE"); you love shaking your head "NO" just to make Madeline and I laugh!
The harder moments come as you are trying to become more independent and assert your will against mine. I desire for you to have more independence, but the challenge comes when you throw tantrums and I'm unable to reason with you, well, because you're still just one! But we've been working out new ways to show you concretely that screaming and kicking are not okay. When we ask you if you're all finished with your tantrum, sometimes you stop and sometimes you stand up and smile as if to say, "I'm ready to rejoin you." I enjoy seeing you understand the relationship between behaviors and responses. As much as I can't wait to be able to reason with you, I am enjoying many aspects of your 18-month-old life that I'll never be able to experience again and so I hold onto it tightly, hoping I'll never forget these moments.
I love having you for my son. Eighteen months have flown by and I love who you are and watching you grow and change every moment. I thank the Lord that He placed us together.
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