... and he's a year.

Two blog posts within a two-week period! Something must be wrong with me. Ah... I blame it all on hormones. But then again, I blame everything on hormones.

My little sweetie turned a year old on Tuesday. I'm not sure how that happened. Well, I do. 12 months ago, I was in a hospital room, and now, 12 months later, here we are. You is smart...

I had a super easy labor with Landon... much easier than the first 4 months of life with him. I was induced at around 6:30, got the perfect epidural around 12, and pushed him out in a short 16 minutes. 3:46 p.m., to be exact. I told Randy that if having children only involved the labor, I'd have like 6. But it's the newborn part that always makes me rethink #2. But... that's all a hazy memory now. Sort of.

Soo tiny. Wow. 

So what is my squirt up to these days? He...

- is a whopping 18.12 pounds and 28.5 inches (for you people who like stats). As in, the 4th and 9th percentiles. Makes me laugh... I was most definitely in the 85th percentile for weight around his age. However, his daddy was not. And I'm happy with him staying small... love to hold him (when he will let me!).

- loves milk. I started giving it to him consistently about 2 weeks ago, and he's done great adjusting. My only issue is that he's extremely dramatic: when he's done drinking, he throws the cup away from his mouth and then I have milk all over my floor (those no-drip cups are lies!).

- is, very unfortunately, dropping his morning nap. Unless he's exhausted, he'll play and talk to himself for about an hour and a half (no crying, mind you). Occasionally, he'll take two naps... I just have to play it by ear. Which, for me, is quite difficult. I love routine.

- is still into absolutely everything. His favorite toy was, is, and will continue to be, the laptop. When it comes to "no" and the computer, you can forget about it. I might as well be speaking to him in tongues.

- has become extremely stubborn regarding food lately. Lately, the only things I've found him to be interested in are chicken nuggets, yogurt, bananas, oatmeal, and pureed veggies (see previous post).  What child doesn't like mac 'n cheese? And whose child actually rejected a frosted & sprinkled birthday cupcake, even after a taste? Mine. Ahhhhhhhh!!!! Okay, telling myself that it's a stage.

- is teething. That's all I will say.

- has no interest in walking. He cruises all along the furniture, but when it comes to walking without support, he gets this petrified look on his face and sticks his legs straight out. Crazy boy. But since I rushed crawling and he was into everything, I'm not going to rush walking. He can take his good ol' time.

My friend Melissa had a cute post the other day about what she'd learned in her first 15 weeks of mommyhood, and I thought I'd touch on highlights of the first year. I don't know that anything I've learned is necessarily earth-shattering; probably every mommy can relate. But for what it's worth, here it is, folks:

- Plan showers around the baby's nap. But not around the time he's going to wake up. Or you might end up with cuts all over your leg from shaving in a hurry because he's screaming (because I do NOT believe in shaving one leg).

- No matter how many people tell you not to compare your child to others, you will still do it. Unless you're not normal. Or maybe on your 5th or 6th. I guess by then it doesn't matter.

- Letting a baby cry it out does not mean that one day he will hate you and end up feeling ostracized and distant from you. In fact, he will probably end up happily drifting off to sleep on his own.

- It is okay to call your mom 7 times a day during the first few weeks... or months, in my case. She will probably understand why you're crying.

- Sleeping through the night is usually short-lived in the first five months. At some point, there will most likely be a regression.

- Everyone has an opinion. Take the helpful advice and throw out the rest. And whatever you do, don't feel guilty because someone else chooses to parent differently from you.

- Being back to your pre-pregnancy weight and being in your pre-pregnancy clothes really doesn't mean much. Post-baby bellies are just way too jiggly for their own good.

- Hormones do not help with the afore-mentioned jelly belly. In fact, epic amounts of tears may occur in regards to the jelly belly... or for no apparent reason. It is key that in those moments, you hold your baby instead of going through your closet of size 0's.

- I cannot operate without a schedule. Kudos to those of you who can.

- Don't plan doctor's appointments for mealtime. It could get ugly.

- Sound machines are one of the world's best inventions. No, really.

- Don't invest in the most expensive toys on the market. Instead, buy an old cellphone, get together some old keys, a set of coasters, some measuring spoons, and you should be set.

- Breastfeeding does not make you a superior mom. Ever.

- Since I am a mom, I will take pictures of my baby -- hundreds, maybe thousands. And I will probably only delete the ones where it is not actually evident that the photograph contains a baby.

- Babies will only be small and sleepy enough to hold for a little while. I still tiptoe into Landon's room before I go to bed and hold him while he's sleeping sometimes, just so I can hold him close without him squiggling away.

- Nothing can prepare you for the way you're going to love your child. Not nine months of pregnancy, not The First Year, not all the mommy advice in the world. Nothing prepares you except being a parent. All those hard newborn nights, those frustrating days where all you can do is pray, and those overwhelming love-him-so-much-it-hurts moments -- that's what it's all about.

Happy birthday to my favorite little guy in the world.

I know it's fuzzy, but I love how happy he is. 

This is how I find him all the time!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=k2HRTcoslvQ