Happy Birthday Dear Alex

Alex is one year old today - unbelievable! I feel like I haven't written much about him on here at all... He is such an easy-going, happy kid. Except for today of course, because he's working on a new tooth, and he just caught a cold from his sister, and he had to get four shots at his 12 month check-up today. But I think I'd be cranky too in similar circumstances. Especially if that all happened on my birthday!

He's been walking for about a month now. I'm claiming his first word was "mama" (months ago) even though it was really more like "mamamamamamama" and he still says it like that and pretty much only when he's sad and trying to get to me. But still! I'll take what I can get after Daphne learned to say "poop" before learning to say "mama".

He loves to eat, especially if he gets to feed himself. He'll eat anything I give him and stuff his mouth until he's choking if I'm not careful. And if we're eating he better be eating too, even if I just fed him right before we sat down to our meal. But still he's only in the 10th percentile for height and weight.

He loves to take baths. He kicks his feet around when he's really happy. He can clap. He's learning to wave goodbye and will even say "buh" sometimes while waving. He just learned to make giant spit bubbles today and thinks that's pretty cool (I guess there are benefits to teething and a runny nose). He likes to make noise by clapping objects together or against the table. The louder the better. He's also a noisy (appreciative?) eater - making lots of "mmmmMMMMmmmm!" sounds while eating.

He thinks it's funny to get in trouble. Like when we're watching a movie and he goes for the power button on the TV and I say "Aleeeeeex!" in a "don't you dare!" kind of tone, he just laughs and tries to get there even faster. Same goes for if I forget to put the safety gate at the bottom of the stairs and catch him moving in that direction.

He smiles and laughs pretty easily, especially for Daphne. He thinks she's the funniest. He likes to follow her around and do what she does. She likes to encourage him to do naughty things. "Alex, go behind the couch!" - "Alex, the gate is down, crawl up the stairs, hurry!" - "Alex, push the car into the kitchen!" (the car is not allowed in the kitchen). He's young and impressionable and she knows it.

He also takes quite a beating from his sister - who likes to push, pull, drag, and carry him around when I'm not looking. Even her hugs and kisses can get pretty rough. I'm sure she'll get it all back someday when he's bigger. But she also looks out for him and is the first one to tell me if "Alex is playing with not a safe toy!" She gave him his current nickname, "Bubba". I'm not sure where she got that from but she just started calling him that and now we all do it.

He's a preeeeeetttyyyy good sleeper. He still takes two naps a day. He falls asleep on his own for naps and bedtime, which may not sound like a big deal but I'm grateful for it, considering the fact that I STILL have to sit in Daphne's room every night until she falls asleep. With Alex I just give him his pacifier, sing "You Are My Sunshine," lay him down and leave the room. So I don't mind TOO much that he wakes up almost every night at 3:00am. Because then we just do it again (find the pacifier, sing the song, put him down) and he goes back to sleep. I'm not looking forward to getting rid of the pacifier.

He's just a lot of fun and a sweet little boy and we love having him in our family. Happy Birthday Alex!