Our Little 12 Month Old!

Post-birthday Cake:)

One Year Ago

First of all, how did this happen? It really has been the fastest year of my life (and probably busiest, but maybe happiest too)! I don't think much time goes by that we aren't laughing about something. Our boys truly bring so much happiness to our lives (even when things are way less than perfect)! Anyway, I wanted to describe our sweet Zachary at one year before time slips by and he's 5!
*Zach is H-A-P-P-Y. All the time, always. Ok, except maybe when his brother is putting his hands down his shirt to "keep his hands warm"- who would be happy with that, lets be honest! (Ike has done this since the day Zach was born... we're still trying to convince/threaten him to kick the habit! Maybe when they're married Ike will stop putting his hands in Zach's shirt... maybe.
*Zach loves to smile and laugh. His brother does lots to get this response in him and Zach is happy to be entertained... though mommy and daddy aren't always sure about the ends justifying the means (a lot of stuff ended up floating in the toilet to quote "make Zachy laugh!" hmm, gonna have to re-evaluate that one. He also loves "scaring us playing peek a boo and hide and seek and even knows itsy bitsy spider.
*Zach loves coming and going. He is a very laid-back kinda guy (obviously his father's child...) We often drag him to events/random parades/anything out of the house thus interfering with nap time at home or regularly scheduled anything. Don't get me wrong, we follow the same pattern everyday: Wake up, eat, play, snack, sleep, wake up, eat, play, snack, sleep... etc. But, it's not always at our house. I'm thankful for that b/c I'm obviously not a homebody.
*Along those lines, Zach loves new things and new people. He is the baby who will talk and smile and laugh to get your attention and then bury his head in mommy's shoulder when you stop to notice him. Funny funny boy!
*Zach has great hair! He has had 3 haircuts and never went through a really bald phase... it just changed colors! Now it's harder to see because it is so blonde, but it needs to be cut again... I'm just working up the strength to do it again!
*Zach eats everything! He loves everything he tries and is now being rather particular that his food not be too blended, he wants a little texture... but come on, until today he's only had two teeth... that's not much to chew with, buddy!
*You guessed it, Zach just popped tooth 3 and 4 (in succession, not dental terminology). They are his top front teeth and he already had his bottom front teeth (or as Ben put it today, "his maxillary central incisors (teeth E and F) and his mandibular central incisors (teeth O and P). Now he'll really tear the place up:)
*Zach is happy stationary. I've decided he absolutely could walk, crawl or belly dance his way through life, but he is absolutely and perfectly happy scooting on his bum. He has had x rays and is undergoing baby p.t. (on a very minor scale) to "light a fire under his diaper" and get him going. To be honest though, I think he is doing perfectly and will move when he feels a sense of urgency... hopefully before he turns 8!
*Due to all the scooting, we do a lot of laughing and I'm about to have lots of little 12 month old shorts with holes in the bum!
*Zach is great at building (especially when brother is off at a friends house)! He can stack about 4 blocks on top of each other! I think that's pretty good for his age, don't you?
*Zach can say 4 very clear words with lots of meaning (Momma, Dadda, buh-dah (brother), look (ook), and that). That pretty sums up everything you need to know as a baby in the English language! He also signs "more," "all done" and "big boy"- made that one up- it's a cute moment of pride when he accomplishes something!
*Zach is 18'12" (typical 4th percentile for my kiddos) with a huge appetite (eats more than Ike)! and he is in the 50th percentile for height
*Zach loves books and reading and music! Reading and Dancing is a large part of our life with kiddos and he gets really excited about it!
*Speaking of excitement, when Zach gets really excited, he makes this funny deep throated laugh/trill that I need to get on video... Very funny!
*Zach has asthma (Doc is pretty sure...) Sad, but it is very mild and he is even starting to not hate the breathing treatment every night! He also just battled a lovely case of pneumonia that I'm sure he picked up at Walmart or something! Through it all, he is a happy trooper- even with a high temp!
*This little boy is just the apple in our eye! I think all three of us are just enamored by him:) You can't help but love him and cuddle him to pieces! Ike put it best..."Zachy is my BFF!" I sure hope so because these two are in it for the long haul!