Happy Birthday Cal!

Happy 1 Year Cal!  Last year at this very time, I was about to get out of bed and move around for the first time after surgery.  I was feeling good and admiring just how handsome you were.

Today you are officially a toddler.  It's hard for me to fathom that but it's true.  I am feverishly getting ready for your party on Saturday and trying to get you fattened up (more on this).

You were originally going to have your well-baby check on Monday but since you needed a follow up to your last ear infection today, the doctor just did your check today.

You weigh almost 23 pounds (22 pounds 15 ounces) and are 30 and 3/4 inches long.  The percentiles might be a bit off but you are 40% for weight and 75% for height. All along, you have been very proportionate but this month, your weight percentile dropped dramatically.  I think this is probably because you recently had a stomach bug and aren't eating as much plus you are full on walking now.

You go back in for a weight check in 6 weeks but in the meantime, it's Operation Fat Baby.  We have been instructed to feed you high fat/high calorie food such as butter, ice cream, milkshakes, whole milk smoothies mixed with breakfast powder, yogurt, cheese, avocado, and weird processed meats.  Pretty much everything that a nutritionist would throw their hands up at.

In other news, here are some things you are up to this month:

* Walking, walking, walking.  Nuff said.

* Climbing.  One of your favorite things to do is climb into the highchairs or onto one of the toddler seats.  You can't quite make it down all the way so we help you.

* You love sitting and playing with toys.  Sometimes, brother disturbs you or steals your toy but you will happily sit and put toys in a basket and take them back out.  Or put the balls in your elephant ball popper.  Or put Bristle Blocks together and take them apart.  Or you will pull books off the shelf until you find one to your liking and 'read'.  You turn the pages and admire the pictures.

* You clap all the time and when we say "yayyyyy!" you clap along.  It's so cute.  You also wave hello and goodbye.  Usually when someone comes into the house, such as Nana, you get so excited and wave your whole arm enthusiastically.

* You "talk" and babble all the time.  You do say some words, such as Mama, Dada, Nana, Papa, Baba (which is brother, bottle and bye bye) and the other day you repeated cracker when I said it.  I said "Cal, say cracker".  You looked at me like I was crazy and said "Ca ca".  Like it was no big deal.

* You are very calm around people or situations you don't know.  We went to a family gathering on New Year's Day and you didn't recognize most of the people there.  You just stood and watched the people and once you warmed up to them, smiled and flirted.  You will just stand in the middle of the floor and stare at people for a long time.  It's funny.  In places like the grocery store, you happily sit in the cart and watch the people.  Your head whips back and forth because there is just so much to look at and so much going on.

* Sleep is about the same.  You sleep for about 12 hours at night with 2-3 wakeups.  Nap is in the afternoon for about 90 minutes.  You once in a while will take a short morning nap too.

* You have four teeth total.  Two on the top, two on the bottom and boy do you love to use them!  I am so glad I am not nursing because you bite everything.

I can't wait to see you play and interact with everyone on Saturday!  There will be about 20 people at your party and five will be little kids.  You should have plenty of people to play with!

We love you little man.  My goodness are you such a sweet boy.

Sporting your old man sweater and a black eye.  It's hard to find pictures of you where you don't have stuff in your mouth!

Oh hai Mommy!  See my teeth?