My "big boy"...

How did it happen? Looking at pictures and video over the last year, I can see the evolution from newborn to baby to bigger baby to almost-toddler. Logically, I understand how it's happened. But staring at my big boy, sprawled out across me as he nurses, legs constantly kicking and barely fitting on my lap, it's hard to swallow. Gone are the rolls of baby fat that hung from his limbs just... yesterday, was it? The pastel baby blue I shopped for before has increasingly become replaced by bright "big boy" clothes. But how did I get a big boy? I blinked and he turned into a mover-and-a-shaker, and more and more these days he seems like a big boy. Well, the blinking part is not exactly true. There have been long days and, more painfully, long nights this past year. Enough so to make the passing of Chou-chou's first year of life a celebration of survival for Jarod and me! But true to the more seasoned parents' words of wisdom we've received, it all seems so short in retrospect. And "voila!"- this is why we humans continue to procreate. We forget the painfully long days of newborn colic, the episodes of reflux, teething, and just plain 'ole unexplainable fussiness. And I know 12 months to the day doesn't mark the end of these things either... I'm sure the 15-year old Chou-chou will have bouts of fussiness all his own. But the point is, the precious, tender, make your heart hurt cause it's so full and gonna burst moments definitely outweigh the fuss. And the truth is, I love my big boy even more than I loved my newborn, though admittedly it's hard to measure. I love the way he communicates to me now, wants me to play with him, talks to himself in animated baby talk when he thinks he's all alone. The goofy grins and mischievious smiles. The way he notices birds chirping outside that I never would have even noticed, and then tells me about it with his hands and curious expression. His fits of giggles may as well be angels singing! I love the big boy stuff.

Happy Birthday to my little explorer, Chou-chou, and may your days continue to fill our world with excitement and wonder!