Dear Sage at One Year!! |

Dear Sage at One Year!!

by elizabeth on April 30, 2013

Dear Sage at 12 months,

Time has ticked by and right before my eyes you have become one year old. Sadly I feel like so much of this year has slipped through my fingers. With the stress of working full time and learning how to be a Mommy it has all gone by so fast. The precious memories of your different stages are securely locked in my heart but it’s hard to remember that you were anything but the child you are today. Once in a while you glance at me in a certain way or lie on your back and grab your feet or snuggle up in your car seat and I am reminded of the baby you once were. I wish with all my heart that I could have been so immersed in your growth that I would be writing this with more memories than I knew what to do with. Lucky for us though, we both have these blog posts to help us remember. And someday, if you ever have a younger sibling and forget that for years you were the one and only center of our world, you can read these memories and be certain that you were given all of our undivided attention and love.

To kick off your 12th month you were in Maui. Two days after passing your 11 month birthday we got a wonderful movie of you walking down the sidewalk! We were so, so, proud of you and are thrilled that not only did your Mommy and Daddy get married in Maui but Maui was the place you learned to walk. You had been taking a step or two since 10 ½ months but Maui was really where you mastered it. Maui was also the first place you rode on a surfboard. You and Daddy caught your first wave together at Laniopoko Beach Park. Watching you out there with your Daddy brought so much joy to my heart. I was thrilled that you were able to experience a pastime your Daddy and I love so very much. It may be too soon to tell for sure but if your present skills hold steady then I can confidently say that you, like your Daddy, have gills. The water is home to you. You have no problem going under, blowing bubbles, sliding off the edge, and attempting to swim on your own.

Here are some other special features of you as a one year old.

You LOVE your sippy cup. You get the biggest grin on your face when I hand it to you.
You prefer to eat with a bowl and a spoon even if it means half the amount of food actually gets in your mouth
You quite often still fall asleep in the car.
You don’t like having a poopy diaper.
You successfully sign for “food”, “more”, “milk”, “up”, “all done”
Nursing you is quite funny now. You are curious about the whole operation and examine me like it’s the world’s greatest mystery.
You have also started pulling my shirt down when you want to nurse and I have to remind you of the polite way to ask for milk.
You always prefer to be outside. No question. If there is an open door you will find it!
You are not afraid of dogs. Our neighbor’s dog Maggie licks your face and you barely notice. You spend a lot of time with Auntie G’s dogs and I think Luna could babysit you if we’d let her. She follows you around and keeps a close eye on all that you are up to.
We went to Zoomars and you were deliberate and brave about feeding carrots to the Llama. Animals don’t worry you.
You are brave. It’s uncanny. You climb right to the top of the big kid slide and throw yourself down. Watching you do this practically gives me a heart attack but I have to trust that you know what you are doing.
We think you might be left-handed.
You have fallen face first in the sand a few times but you pop up with a smile on your face.
You have almost figured out how to do a forward somersault
You love going fast. The faster the better.
You adore bike rides with your Daddy. This is where you get to go fast. You two have clocked 30 mph and you screech with laughter.
You have figured out that keys open doors.
You love picking out what jacket you are going to wear.
You like having your shoes put on and taken off.
You like to play with the baby dolls at daycare. You pat their backs and put them to sleep.
You are a great eater and enjoy spicy food.
You continue to like Kalamata olives.

Sage, you are the sparkle and joy in my life and there is no person I look forward to seeing more than you. I wish my memory were a giant tag board, big enough to post every single moment with you on its massive face. Then I could close my eyes and drop in to the month or day of my choosing and experience your magic all over again. As a person of many words it humbles me to realize that every month there really are not enough words to capture how precious you are to me.

“You are my angel, my darling, my star… and my love will find you wherever you are”

Love,

Mama