ONE!

 

 Our baby is out of infancy, now ONE! 

At 12 months, Niall:

-  Weighs 17#15 oz (5%) with length of 9% and head circumference of 85%! He is in mostly 9-12 month clothing, although 12-month pants are a bit long on him

-  Has fair skin, big eyes and a big (~85%) head, long eyelashes, two dimples, very little but more-than-before hair, and five (three upper, two lower) sharp teeth. He seems to like to self-feed preferably with his left hand (a budding southpaw?)

- drinks pumped breast milk at daycare, the quantity of which has been surpassing my current pumping supply at this point given a recent terrible GI illness with weight loss/dehydration and because his solids intake has also increased (but I thankfully had a back stash from hoarding days). He nurses when I'm home, 4-6x per day-- upon waking, before bed, and before and sometimes after naps (but has been night-weaned since about 9-10 months). He loves food and snacks, shouting "mum mum mum!" when hungry, and bangs on his high chair impatiently in the morning and at dinnertime. He likes raisin bread, breakfast bars, cereal, fruits (especially bananas, blueberries, and grapes), yogurt, string cheese, zucchini, mashed sweet potato, avocado, carrots, shrimp, noodles, baby pho and soups, and puffs and peanut snacks. We give him mostly soft/cut-up versions of what we're eating, but he's not a big fan of meat, and usually spits it out after trying a taste, so we have to sneak it in and have continued his iron drops (we may have a budding vegetarian on our hands!). He loves water in a sippy cup and we will be starting cow's milk any day now (Iver has been raring to share his morning toast, sometimes with honey, and milk, and is excited to now have a 12-month-old sibling with which he can share formerly forbidden foods/drinks!)

- is in cloth diapers during the day (with flushable liners) and size 3 overnight Huggies at night. He is very regular and, if we can get him there in time, usually poops on the potty first thing in the morning and then has at least 1-2 more BMs during the day, although (? after some berries) last week he had frequent looser stools and a nasty diaper rash (now gone)

 - is doing great at the infant room at daycare. He never cries at drop-off, and is loving, smiley, and cuddly with most adults and kids 

- he is generally always happy, except when in pain or sick, and then wants to be held. Thankfully, after now 6 months in daycare, the illnesses are rare. He also sucks down medicines via syringe with glee.

- is an extremely fast crawler. He isn't taking steps independently or walking yet but can free stand, and he cruises and pushes a walker toy or rolling suitcases. He climbs, backs down from furniture, and can get into cabinets like a champ and we have to be good about keeping them locked. 

- loves to play/mess with Iver's art supplies (uncapping and capping markers),  Pepper, and Pepper's water bowl, tupperware and lids, blocks, rattles, cups, and is very opinionated, protesting if you try to take something away or redirect him from something he wants to get his hands on. We're trying to read to him, but he mostly likes to eat the pages or throw the books. He loves walks in the front-facing carrier, playing peek-a-boo, and being tickled.  He used to love baths (with big brother), but has been on an anti-bath kick in the past week, crying for unclear reasons.

 - He smiles, laughs, giggles, squeals, says "mama," "da" and "dat." He purposefully signs  "all done," "more," "milk,"  "dog," and (one time, we think "poop."). He is a really happy and mellow guy, clingy only when in pain or sick.

- sleeps amazingly in a crib, sharing a room with Iver (going on two months now). After a bath and a nursing session, he goes to bed in his footie pajamas and sleep sack between 7 and 7:30 p.m. within a few minutes of being put in his crib drowsy. He usually rolls to his stomach to sleep, and sleeps until about 6 a.m., eleven hours later, when the Hatchbaby white noise/light alarm turns light, happy and cooing (Iver is almost always  already up, ready to go).  He naps twice, once in the morning around 9 a.m. or three hours after waking, and around 1:30 or 2 p.m., also putting himself to sleep. There are no signs of crib-escaping, and we are SO THANKFUL and blessed to have such a fabulous sleeper (THIS IS TRULY A GAME CHANGER)!!

We celebrated with a candle-topped Aussie bite for breakfast

(Iver made the birthday sign)

Big brother helped keep the fire hazard away and "blow" out the candle.

It's so hard to believe that it's been a full year since he made his sneakily fast entrance into the world, which you can read about here.  I am on call this weekend and helping other mamas birth their babies today, but I got to wake up with my babies and put them to bed, too!

Here are some of my favorite photos from Niall's first year:

the "Michael Jordan" face

 Here's what big brother Iver was doing at 12 months. 

Our #2 is an incredibly sweet (and rested!) little man, and I can't believe we're out of the infancy phase! Onto toddlerhood we go!