I Have A One-Year-Old

Eve Elizabeth Boston turned one year old on July 8. Truly a momentous day for many reasons, but mostly Ish and I celebrated the fact that we managed to keep a tiny human being alive and whole for a full year. She's not even scarred! Much!

I'm trying to figure out how to best describe the first year with baby, and overall I'd have to say it's been full of surprises and utterly delightful.

I know that's cheesy.

It's just that we had no idea what to expect. Everyone -- EVERYONE -- told us eighty different ways that babies change everything. That we couldn't possibly be prepared for how different our lives would be after the baby. That our grown-up lives as we know them would be gone FOREVER.

And I suppose that's true. But maybe it's because we're older? Maybe because we've both been around the block a few times? Maybe because both our parents always made time for their relationship? I don't know. Having a baby certainly made our lives different, but mostly it's just been great.

What I'm trying to say is: I was pretty well aware of how "disruptive" and all-consuming having a child would be, and she was. And it's been awesome.

I didn't quite expect how hard it would be to get anything done, like, ever. Or that working from home would mean I'd never have a spare second of time for me.  Or that I'd need to rely on a sitter/nanny a lot. Or that I'd look up and it would be three months later and aside from a non-scarred child, I'd have nothing to show for myself.

But I guess a non-scarred child is kind of a big deal. So I'll take it.

I said early on that Eve seemed to be an easy baby. The response to that was always, "Just you wait." I was warned over and over again that a terrible infant was lurking inside her, and would burst free at any moment to wreak havoc and misery on our lives.

Except that didn't happen. In fact, she was so good (and continues to be so good) that I don't even want to write about it because other new moms will hate me.

In the last few weeks especially, Eve has started to blossom. She is more interactive, and all of her traits are suddenly amplified. She is extremely chatty; she squeals and yells and squawks all day long. She understands plenty and communicates her needs better than ever, despite that her only words remain "da! da!" half of "cat" ("cah!") and -- just yesterday -- "wah-ah" for "waffle."

No "mama." No sign of "mama." But that's okay. I totally understand the importance of waffles in the hierarchy of needs.

She has one tooth on the bottom, and finally has one tooth that's just broken through up top. And that's it. She is a gummy, drooly mess most of the time, but those two teeth get a lot of play.

She's pulling herself up on everything she can get her hands on, and can crawl like the wind. She is completely disinterested in walking, and that's fine with us. We've already had to clear our home of everything mouth-sized or breakable within arm's reach of her anyway.

She doesn't care for her baby pool.

She adores Yo Gabba Gabba.

She sings. If you sing, she sings. If you sing a Yo Gabba Gabba song, she lights up and kicks and waves her arms.

She isn't overly attached to her pacifier. She sleeps with it, but in the morning when we get her, we just ask her to please put the paci in the crib, and she does. On the other hand, she hates the sippy cup and refuses to use it for milk; only the bottle will do.

She is a happy, happy baby.

And in case you haven't had enough of my Proud Mama-ing all over this blog, here's a Year In Pictures Photo Montage I cobbled together. If you don't feel like watching five minutes of my child's photos, I don't blame you.

But it's pretty cute, if I do say so myself.

Comments

  1. She's such a cute kid! Although I have to say I miss the hair sticking up. Man, a year! already!

    Crazy.

    So happy to hear you're all happy. :)

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  2. Absolutely adorable! You've got some wonderful pics.

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  3. I can't believe its been a year already,and I dont even 'know' you. that was a beautiful slideshow.

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  4. Just beautiful! There's nothing better than a child totally enriching your life. I got to do this 3 times with our own kids and am now totally enjoying my grandbaby's first year!

    Thanks for sharing!

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  5. I enjoyed every minute. What a beautiful family. My little one is 5 (almost 6) and it only gets better!!!

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  6. Still all teary, so typing is blurry. But thanks for a totally beautiful five minutes. And I usually only say that about dog slideshows.

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  7. Happy birthday to your little sweetheart, and happy birthday to YOU too! You put some serious work into her arrival a year ago. ;) You should celebrate your own efforts too!

    As far as it being hard to get anything done... yes!! My kid is about 10 years older than my brother's kids, and for those 10 years before he had kids, he never understood why it took me twice (or three times, sometimes four times) as long to get things done. When I would try and explain why I didn't have something done, he'd look at me like I was alien. Then I said one day "I have a kid. EVERYTHING TAKES LONGER! Even getting to the bathroom!"

    He didn't believe me -- then he had kids. :) EUREKA!

    Anyway, happy bday to all and congrats to your happy family. You're making it work, and she's incredibly adorable. She rocks that hair. ;)

    ~gundersonbee

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  8. Just checked out ur blog more. Congratulations on keeping the baby alive for a year!!! Big mommy moment!

    Love the pantyhose drawings!!!

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  9. Making it through that first year is a BIG deal. So congratulations!

    And yes, it really is ridiculously hard to get anything, even normal bodily functions, done once you have a kid. But man oh man when you get one of those moments of love/pride that wash all over you blurring everything out except the pinlight that connects your kid to the ache in your chest...well being unable to pee alone can easily be forgiven.

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  10. Making it through that first year is a BIG deal. So congratulations!

    And yes, it really is ridiculously hard to get anything, even normal bodily functions, done once you have a kid. But man oh man when you get one of those moments of love/pride that wash all over you blurring everything out except the pinlight that connects your kid to the ache in your chest...well being unable to pee alone can easily be forgiven.

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  11. Too precious!!!.......but you did know that the jumparoo adjusted right? lol

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  12. Must be the day she was born...my July 8th 2009 baby girl - Christine - is a GREAT, GREAT baby too...so easy!! And yes, I too am waiting for the other shoe to drop on that one.

    We just had her 1st bday party this past Saturday and she was passed around like a hot potato and was all smiles all day...even slept on a great aunt that she's never met...what 1 yr old does that!?!

    Congrats to Eve and to her proud parents...I can read your post as if it's my own.

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  13. You, and your little girl, literally saved me from the brink of madness (and you continue to do so.) When I found out I was pregnant, I had a month without a doctor and only the internet to tell me that being pregnant and overweight was "tantamount to child abuse." Then I found your blog...and sobbed for about an hour. People do this...fat, thin, whatever...and have been since the dawn of man (literally)...thank you for that reminder.
    I'm now at 20 weeks and have been thinking that I will never be able to handle this "motherhood" business. Seeing your slideshow gives me hope...that all of this physical and psychological craziness will, in the end, be worth it (and so much more.) Again, thank you. A thousand times thank you.

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  14. Happy birthdays all around! And congratulations. You have a lot to show for the last year :)

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  15. Happy birthday to dear Eve. And thank you - you bring joy.

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  16. Eve and I share a birthday, so I will always remember. Happy happy to her, and so glad it's so happy for you and Ish, too.

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  17. Crazy how much you can love someone that it actually makes your insides ache. Every baby deserves a slide show made with such love. Beautiful family!

    And if you ever come up with a fun and satisfying way to tell the "Oh, just you wait!" faction to please shut their collective pie-hole, please post... I have 2 sweet little boys, my third child is almost here, and I STILL hear that crap!!

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  18. Happy birthday Eve. And well done mom and dad. I measured the success of my son's first year by the following criteria:
    1. No. of deaths
    2. No. of mental breakdowns
    3. No. of bankruptcies
    Since we had none of the above (okay I did breakdown a couple of times, but nothing permanent), I consider myself a super excellent parent!

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  19. i haven't been around to blogs too terribly much these past few months and posts like this make me sorry that i haven't.

    happy, happy day. i know i missed eve's birthday, but please give her smooches on her head from invisible internet friends. she is a blessing and i'm thrilled she is doing so well.

    (you should know the part about waffles being so important made me laugh so hard that coworkers noticed. see how you are!??!?!!)

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