One year.

Dear Beckett,

We made it.  You are one year old.  I do not know where the time went.  Wait, let me think....

To crying.  To sleepless nights.  To hours spent listening to birds from the white noise app.  To naps on the couch.  To singing and rocking and reading before bed.  To a lot of time nursing.  To meals in the high chair, stuffing your face with both hands.  To giggles.  And cuddles.  And kisses.  To crawling and cruising.  To 'boo' faces and your latest trick, waving.  To many diaper changes.  To teething.  To several colds and RSV too.  To many wonderful visits with family.  To days with Oma and Gramma. To trips to the mall with dad.  To walks in your stroller or trike with us and Lita Loo.  To knocking over stacks of blocks.  And playing in the bathtub.  To weekly grocery shopping.  To a couple of road trips and many holidays.  To one awesome birthday party...  We closed out your last month as a baby with a bang.

First, we celebrated Halloween.  You had three costumes this year!  First, we went to a party and all of us dressed up.  You went as Eliot from E.T.  Then, we went trick or treating at Oma and Grandpa  Ken's and you dressed as a cowboy.  We even tricked out your trike to be your horse.  We went house to house with your cousins and although you had no idea what was really going on, we had a great time.  Finally, on the big day you wore your pumpkin costume and we handed out candy while walking the neighborhood with your dad and Loo.  I sure hope you come to love Halloween as much as your dad and I do.

A good portion of November went to planning your birthday party!  We settled on an UNO! theme.  Your Oma, Gramma and I made decorations including tissue paper pompoms and banners.  I also made rainbow cookies to give to your kiddie size guests.  Unfortunately, several of those kiddos had to cancel due to illness, so your cousins ended up being the only kid guests.  But they had fun!  So many people came to celebrate your big day and they were all very generous.  Nona and Gpa came to visit for your birthday as well.  They stayed with us for several days and had a lot of fun spending some quality time with you, even if we were just going through your typical daily routine.  You waved for the first time while they were here.  It was bedtime and we had just spent awhile playing in your bedroom.  I asked you to wave night-night and you did.  Now you love waving.  Your latest trick.

You do not have any new teeth yet, but your molars sure are torturing you.  You have had blood blisters for over a week now and they still have not popped through.  I think all of us are over the teeth.

Yesterday, on your big day, your dad took off of work and we took you to the pool.  It had been several months since we had been to the pool for your swim classes and it was your first time in the activity pool.  You were very uncertain at first, but soon your were splashing in the fountains and kicking around having a blast.  It was so nice to see you enjoying yourself like that.  We were the only ones in the pool.  I guess not a lot of people want to go swimming when it is 32 degrees outside...  :). But we sure had fun.  We might need to make a few return trips in this off-season.  Your dad and I certainly enjoyed spending the day with you.  We had a nice lunch, lots of playtime, and good naps.  It was a great day.  You and I went through your usual bedtime routine and read part of your special birthday book, Dr. Seuss' Happy Birthday to You.  I hope that getting you a new book on your birthday every year is a tradition that I will continue.

I think that 'they' officially say that you are a toddler now.  Wow.  You are not walking yet, but you do let go and stand unsupported quite often now.  And you practically run while holding our hands.  Your gift from us was a train that you can push around and you are already practicing that.

You are napping now, but in just a short while we will go see your doctor for your one year well-visit and I will get to hear just how much you have grown.  I do not really need the stats to tell me that though, I see the changes in you every day.  It is astonishing to think how a year ago you were so small (relatively).  Even your dad was a bit sad yesterday thinking about how quickly the time is passing.  We love you so much, my monster.  We cannot wait to see what the next year with you brings us.

Mama