What a year it
has been! Yet before we recap, let’s take a moment to look at where we’re at
right now, July 28, 2014. It’s a Monday, which means dad is at Valley Medical
Center, working away in his first year at residency. He’s gone really long
hours and every third or fourth day, is gone from the time you wake up to the
time you go to sleep. Those days are long for everyone, and as much as dad
doesn’t like missing out on our evening routine, you are a resilient little man,
which continually inspires and challenges me to try to be independent and resilient,
too. Today, you and I spent the morning at your favorite local park, The
Sammamish Commons, splashing in the water fountains, swinging, eating blue
sprinkled cupcakes and playing with a few of your all-time favorite tots.
We celebrated
your birthday this weekend by inviting all of our family to our new home, which
you always refer to as “Paker’s howse”. We sung happy birthday, ate your favorite pink cupcakes, opened colorful
presents, and let you run wild and free while scootering around the park with
your idolized big cousins. T’was a fun day spent in a townhouse packed full o’ cousins,
aunts, uncles, great aunts, grandparents, and great grandparents, who all love
you very much.
This year for
your birthday, dad and I got you four things. 1. A new home with your own bedroom +
playroom - which we moved into last month and are absolutely loving. 2. A new
sibling - who should debut sometime in late February and absolutely rock your
world. 3. A new book, The Wheels on the Bus,
which you are beyond obsessed with. And 4. A new bucket of sand toys – which we
put to good use with our friends at the splash park this morning. I'd say these gifts do a good job of representing where you're at in your interests, as well as where we're at as a family...
It’s been a
really big year both in your development, and in our family’s story. Early into
your second year, probably a week or two after your first birthday, you
conquered confident walking and we haven’t stopped chasing you since. Your
language development has been my favorite part of watching you grow this year,
and just a couple months ago you started saying hilarious, extra-nasally three syllable
words like “chem.-bu-cals” as you float around the hot tub, and “temp-a-ture”
as you carry the thermometer around your playroom and take the temperatures of
your stuffed animals. I’m not sure if this is a sign that you will one day
follow suit and become a doctor like your daddy, or if you’re just a little
more science brained than your mama. I guess we’ll have to wait and see!
This year was
also big because your dad graduated from medical school. "Whoohooo cowege!" as you often loudly cheer with both fists pumped into the air. In May,
we drove to Yakima and attended his graduation ceremony at the Capital Theatre.
We were sitting in the middle of a crowded row, in the middle of the stuffy and
uncomfortably warm auditorium and let me tell ya kid, I absolutely feared the
worst. It didn’t help that the
ceremony took place in the middle of your naptime – and that we were jumping
into the adventure completely sleepless – yet you rallied and blew my low
expectations right out of the water by enthusiastically clapping, quietly cruising
through iPhone pictures, eating goldfish and patiently sitting on my lap
throughout the two-hour ceremony. Should have never doubted your ability to
rally when times get sleepless, as you have been the proud conductor of the Sleepless
Train since day one. I may never fully understand, nor fully appreciate, your
high energy paired with your sleepless antics, but it sure does amaze me.
Your dad and I
celebrated his graduation a few weeks later, by leaving you at Nama and Papa’s
house to play with the aunts and cousins and indulge in your first McDonalds
cheeseburger and fries! During this time, we spent five days exploring the lush,
green lands of Austin, Texas. I stopped nursing you the week we left and felt absolutely
terrible leaving you behind, but I think it was a healthy and positive
experience for all. I had to keep telling myself, although this little guy is
attached to me now, one day he’ll be leaving his mama behind and running off to
college, to travel the world, to get married, or to begin a career, and I won’t
be able to keep him all to myself. Since we cannot stay attached buddies for
life, I figured it would be a good growing experience for me to jet off with
dad and enjoy five days sans plastic toys, diaper duty, and sleepless nights.
You’ll have to trust me when I tell you how excruciating it was for me to kiss
you goodbye and walk out the door en route to the airport. It is probably a
feeling you will not fully understand until you have kiddos of your own, so
you’ll just have to trust me on this one. Leaving you in loving hands and jet
setting states away was a really difficult decision…a difficult one, but a good
one. During those days, your dad and I traveled new lands, ate delicious BBQ, did
tons of fun things like ropes courses and zip lines, watched the colorful sun
set and rise over the rolling hills of Texas, dined on farm-to-table cuisine
like kings and queens, swam in infinity pools, soaked in the summer sunshine, read
books, practiced yoga, and cheersed to your dad’s great accomplishments. As our
relaxing week away came to an end, we excitedly hopped back on our plane to
Seattle, and snuggled you like we’ve never snuggled before. It was fun to carve
out some mom and dad time, but it was equally as fun to touch down in our very
favorite state, and smooch our very favorite boy.
Just like last
year, and I don’t imagine it changing in this next year of life, every single
day while your dad and I are with you – eating dinner at the table, walking
around the block, kicking the soccer ball at the park, or watching you discover
something new – I turn to him and say “HE IS SO CUTE! Isn’t he SO cute?” And
you are, buddy. You really are. But you’re not just cute.
You’re really
funny. Your sense of humor is wicked and your sense of direction is nothing
short of incredible. If my GPS ever failed me I’m absolutely convinced you’d be
able to direct me right where we needed to go. You’re bright - really, really
bright – as you count to ten, identify your colors and sing your ABCs. You are
physically strong, and sometimes use that strength to push and bite both loved
ones and strangers alike, but for the most part your kind and tender heart
brings a huge smile to my face as you say “eye yov you” and lean over for
“tugs” and “tisses.” You’re in love with the Disney musical Frozen, and will empty the toilet paper
holder and grab it to belt out “Let It Go” in your makeshift microphone as
you dance on your bed in nothing but a size four diaper. You’re also up for
adventure, and this year alone have traveled to Disneyland, the cabin at Billy
Clapp, Newport Beach, California, Sunriver, Oregon (twice), Scottsdale,
Arizona, Las Vegas, Nevada and all across the highways in Washington state.
We’re thankful to get to take you to new places and experience so many fun
moments and memories together as a family. They’re certainly not memories that
you’ll retain, but your dad and I will! Like the time we strolled you, our 1.5
year-old son, all over the Las Vegas strip. Who takes a toddler to Sin City?
Your weirdo, wanderlust parents do!
I can’t wait to
see what this next year has in store for us, as you make new friends in our
awesome neighborhood, and evolve into your new role as a big brother. I’m
currently just a few months pregnant, yet you already talk constantly about
“bebe Popsicle” who you promise is a gurl, and you kiss my tummy at any chance
you can get. I’ve got no doubt you’re going to be a fun, kind and protective
big brother and I can’t wait to watch that happen. I love you so much, buddy,
and am really grateful for all the quality time you and I get to spend
together.
These days, as we
sit around the table munching on a snack or sipping on a smoothie, you’ll often
notice we’re enjoying the same food or beverage and you throw your
fork/spoon/cup/pancake in the air and say “Cheers!” with a big cheesy grin on
your face. Cheers to you, little man!
I love you,
Mama
