And I know this next phrase will also sound overdone, but I have been really busy lately. So busy that I didn't even have time to write about Dio's first birthday on the day it happened. (I didn't get back from painting one of our rental apartments last night until 10:15 pm. By time I changed out of my painting clothes, checked my email, folded some laundry, wrote in my journal, and attended to other mundane tasks, I was totally exhausted.) And then tonight I made a really elaborate chocolate cake--one of those complicated recipes involving lots of sour cream and brown sugar and dark chocolate and sifting the dry ingredients together--and it tasted just like a cake mix. So disappointing. In fact, I nixed having a birthday cake/candles/song tonight because I want a dessert worthy of the occasion.
So here are some milestones Dio has reached over the past month or two:
- Standing independently
- Walking!
- Saying his first words ("uh oh" and last week, "dog")
- Clapping his hands
- Doing "so big!" with his arms up in the air
- Climbing up our outdoor slide all by himself
- Sleeping longer stretches at night and putting himself back to sleep when he wakes up
- Throwing and chasing a ball
- First haircut
- Climbing all the way up the staircase when I wasn't watching him. Now that's all he wants to do!
Some of the words/phrases/concepts he understands:
- Zari
- Papa
- nurse/allaiter
- potty/psssss
- uh-oh
- uh-uh (the phrase I use instead of "no")
- dog & cat
- ball
- chasing & being chased (usually with the phrases "Dio's going to get me" or "I'm going to get you")
- clap your hands/tapes les mains
- feeding and being fed, cued by an "ahhhh" sound (he loves to feed us now, so cute!)
- soft (as in, stroking a cat or dog's back, rather than pulling its fur out)
His body is lengthening out, and he looks more boyish and less babyish to me. He is becoming more and more confident with walking. Just a few days ago he was taking his first hesitant steps and needed lots of coaxing. Tonight, though, he walked across the room several times at a decent clip.
Despite all the reasons for celebration, Dio has been fairly miserable the last few days. He has two new teeth just popping through, a bad cough and congestion, and an on-and-off again low fever. He's been super whiny and cranky and clingy. Today was especially hard for him. He's tired and in pain and I can't magically make it all go away.
Maybe if tomorrow isn't as crazy, I will read through Dio's birth story, look at his birth pictures, and watch videos of him as a newborn.
Happy birthday Dio!
THERE IS NO WAY THAT WAS A YEAR AGO!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWell, happy birthday sweet gorgeous little dolly boy, and of course, happy Birthing Day to your entire family, Rixa. Much love!
I'm going with the cliche, too. Was that really a year ago? This past year has gone by WAY TOO FAST! I have to laugh when my kids complain about how slowly time goes by for them. I clearly remember wishing that I could grow up faster, and now I wish time would slow down.
ReplyDeleteHe's a very sweet boy, Rixa, and I'm delighted to hear about all the milestones he's been hitting lately. Doesn't it seem like once they start standing and walking, everythign else starts happening at a lightning fast pace?
Happy Birthday, Dio!
By the way, I was talking yesterday with a friend of mine who is a nurse. She wanted to become an OB nurse, and took a job down in Shreveport, Louisiana to get some experience before coming back up to KC. Holy cow! The stories she told me would make your head spin! I could not believe that people could be so inhuman to other people, especially where birth is involved. She actually left before her contract was up because she couldn't take it anymore.
ReplyDeleteYeah Dio!!! I still remember his as a little infant from last summer. Can't wait to see you guys this summer!
ReplyDelete