ONE

Well I can't believe it.  Stanley Pierce turned a year old yesterday.  The reason I can't believe it is because everyone would tell me when he was born and still in that "tiny, fragile, infant stage" that it was all going to go by so fast and I totally didn't believe them.  In the moment, the infant stage seemed like it lasted forever but unfortunately they were right.  I felt like I blinked and here he is turning a year old.

As I reflect back over Stan's first year of life,  I have to say that it has been a huge blessing!  Sure there were a few bumps in the proverbial road like pyloric stenosis or torticollis but once we got through those, I have to say, it has been pretty smooth sailing.  Besides "blessing," another word I would use to describe Stan is "easy."  I think the Lord knew just what this uptight, control-freak, borderline OCD Momma needed when He gave me Stan.  I can't tell you how many times through the course of this past year I uttered the phrase, "Yes, he is a VERY easy baby.  So much so that I am scared to have another one!"  And it is SO true!  Preston and I have to get payback some how right?  Either our next one is going to be horrible or Stan is going to give us a run for our money during his teenage years!

But back to being easy.  At each new turn or transition, in true form, I would fret over every detail.  I would read books, articles or threads online, and call my mother or sister thousands of times.  How do I drop a dreamfeed?  How do I wean him from a swaddle?  How do we start baby food?  How much should he be eating?  How do I fly on a plane with a baby...by myself?  How do we transition to just two naps a day?  How do we transition from a 3 hour schedule to a 4 hour schedule?  How do I start a sippy cup?  How do I get him to actually eat his food instead of throwing it?  How do we drop a bedtime bottle?  Fret, fret, fret...worry, worry, worry.  And what would Stanley Pierce do?  He would go through each transition like it was NOTHING!  It was almost as if he were saying, "Simmer down lady....I got this!"

So here are some transitions and some things that Stan is up to these days.  We went to his one year check up and he weighs 28 lbs. 10 oz. in the 95th percentile and I don't remember his length or head circumference but they were both in the 75th percentile.  The doctor said that he is a bit heavy for his height but that was no shocker....my aching back could've told you that!  He isn't walking or even really pulling up on his own yet and I'm sure a lot of that has to do with his weight.  But he is crawling.  He does this little one-armed army crawl which is too stinkin' cute.  He knows how to crawl on all fours but he will only do that for short distances.  If he really wants to move somewhere he is on his belly doing his army crawl.  He has four teeth now...two on top and two bottom.  Right now he is a little snaggle-toothed because his top left tooth is pretty much all the way in but the right tooth is just peeking through.  He is on table foods and is making progress with the sippy cup.  We are still doing a bedtime bottle and are probably going to try to drop that sometime next week.  I'm not looking forward to that, mainly because I LOVE that sweet, cuddly time with him!

With that said, this year has also been a huge learning curve for both me and Preston.  But mainly me.  If there is one thing Stan has taught me it would be to let go a little and just go with the flow.  Not to say that I have mastered that by any means but because he is his this own little person there are a lot of things I don't have control over.  And from what I have heard, this lesson in "letting go" will continue as he grows.  It makes my heartache at this very moment to even think about the time I will physically have to let him go.  Geez...let's not talk about it.

Preston and I listen to The Zac Brown Band and every time I hear "Highway 20 Ride" I cry and Preston laughs at me for crying.  If you haven't heard the song I suggest you listen to it....it is very sweet.  And I know it's a little cheesy but I feel like he sums up parenthood very well in that song.  So even after just one small year of parenting, I can easily say to Stanley Pierce "it was the pleasure of my life and I cherish every time and my whole world, it begins and ends with you...."  I love you so much Stanley Pierce and Happy Birthday!