Nine whole months (and a few days) have gone by with you on the outside. You’ve spent longer on the outside now than on the inside. You’ve been a part of our lives for over a year and a half. It’s truly amazing how much life can change in 18 short months…how your Daddy and I can go from a young married couple who had no clue about raising a baby to veteran parents who can change diapers, soothe cries, and tickle like pros. It’s amazing how much you’ve changed in 18 months, sweet boy. How you went from a cluster of cells to YOU. I am blown away by our Creator – he is magnificent and awe-inspiring. That He chose you, formed you, and allowed us to raise you is just amazing to me. I’m so lucky to be your Mom, Will. So, so, so lucky!
You are quite the little boy. You’re up and down and all around the house these days. You crawl anywhere and everywhere, stopping to examine things that I’d never take the time to notice. You give special attention to the leaf that has blown in the front door, the crumb on the edge of your high chair tray, the strand of hair that’s escaped from my ponytail, and the pine needle that’s fallen off our Christmas tree. You love to inspect the (covered and safe!) outlets and my running shoes that have failed to make their way to my closet. You’re really starting to learn how to interact with your environment, whether it’s a loud grunt/yell to get my attention (a new favorite of yours) or “playing” with Riley and taking her ball out of her mouth. Gran and CP got you a walker for Christmas and you love it. You will push it everywhere and you will not let go of the handle until you’re good and ready! Last night, Daddy and I watched you learn how to push it to the toys you wanted to play with. You’d push it over to your toy, sit down and play for awhile, then stand back up and push it to the next toy. Watching you make these little discoveries is fascinating!
You’re a total ham and one of the happiest babies I’ve met. And I’m not just saying that because I’m your Mommy! It doesn’t take much to get a smile out of you. Some of your favorite things are Riley jumping in the air for her ball, me or Daddy imitating your grunts/squeals/yells, smushing your face up against the shower door while I’m in the shower, getting your fingers “bitten” by me or Daddy, and walking around naked before your bath. Your favorite toys are your lion walker, your Fisher Price musical table, your Tonka toy trucks, and your Melissa and Dough puzzles (all of which were Christmas presents). Your first Christmas was so much fun! We didn’t do anything incredibly special – we stayed home in the morning and opened presents as a new family of 3 and then went to see Gran, CP, and Uncle Matt. But it was so nice to spend time with you, to watch you discover bows and wrapping paper and Christmas trees and gifts. You weren’t all that into the actual opening of the presents – you enjoyed playing with the toys wrapped in the paper! Once we got you started playing with a toy it was pretty hard to tear you away to open another. Always so focused 
You weigh 19 pounds 10 ounces (25th percentile) and are 28 1/2 inches tall (50th percentile). You’re wearing size 3 diapers, 6-12 month clothing, and 12-18 month footed sleepers. You’re still not anywhere close to sleeping through the night – you usually wake around 11pm when Daddy rocks you back to sleep and anywhere from 1am – 5am when you come into bed with us. Many, many, many people have told me that you should be sleeping through the night and that we should just let you cry…but that’s not for us. I don’t mind the snuggle time in bed all that much either 
You’re taking 2 solid naps a day with one catnap in the late afternoon or early evening. As pathetic as your nighttime sleeping is, you actually nap pretty well! You love your “doggie” from Gran. I didn’t realize how attached to it you were until you cried and cried one nap time when I tried to rock you to sleep without it (it was in the washing machine). You’re still a paci fanatic, though you’ve learned how to take it out if you just want to cry! You’re now completely off of purees and only eating table food. Some of your favorites are yogurt, kiwi, bananas, sweet potato bites, peas, scrambled eggs with cheese, fish, blueberries, raspberries, nectarines, and mangoes. You do not like refried beans and if I try to give them to you spread on a tortilla, you will promptly throw them off your tray to the dogs. I’m not sure where you learned that nasty little trick, but Mommy does NOT like it! You’re very big on feeding yourself and aren’t too keen to have Mommy or Daddy feed you anymore. We still feed you messy things, like yogurt, or foods that are hard to pick up, like bananas and kiwi, but for the most part, you feed yourself. You adore your bathtime and you frequently will lounge on the side of your duck tub with your feet propped on the sides. You’ve also become quite the Momma’s boy, which I don’t mind a bit. I figure that when you’re 17, you’re not going to want to cuddle with your Mommy anymore, so there’s no harm in cuddling you and hugging you as much as I want.
I really wish there was a way for me to capture all those little every day things with you, sweet baby boy. You make my heart swell with love and there is so much joy in our house. It is so wonderful to watch you learn…to watch you make connections, to pick up on things we do (like waving), or to learn things all on your own. You started dancing a few weeks ago and it is absolutely adorable. You sway your head back and forth (a little bit reminiscent of A Night at the Roxbury) and grin. In the past few days, you’ve even added a little bit of a hip wiggle to your dance! It’s the little things like that which make living with you such a blessing. I am so, so thankful to be your Mommy and I’m so proud of you!
Love,
Mommy
Just one of my little man tonight. My little man who claps, who fake sneezes and fake coughs, who waves, who sings, who says “na-nah” (banana), who shakes his head no, who dances, who crawls, who pulls up to stand, who loves music, who gives the best open-mouth wet kisses, who pulls hair, who laughs at the dogs, who wakes up at 6:30am on the dot, who shrieks as he crawls across the house, who eats entire bananas in one sitting, and who makes my life a whole lot brighter. Just one of him tonight; one that captures all his nine-and-a-half-month-old personality in one photograph. I know someday I will look back at this and wonder where the time has gone and how my cuddly little baby has turned into a teenager overnight. But tonight, I’m just thankful…Thankful that I still get to rock him to sleep and that Mommy still rocks his world. So thankful that he’s still little and time has not stolen his sweet baby innocence.
The beginning of dinner…relatively clean baby.
Don’t worry…he got a few veggies in too 
Yay!! Clapping!
