ONE

We have successfully kept another human being alive for ONE year.

This little nugget has changed our lives in ways we never could have imagined.

No one prepares you for how hard some things are...

how amazing this one little person can make you feel...

Or how fast time really does fly.

Seriously... how is he ONE YEAR OLD already!?

There is no way to put into words how crazy we are about this little man.

At one years old... Braxton is:

crawling and/or walking all over the house.

{he just passed out like this!}

Says "mama" and "meow" (back at the kitties when they meow)

He has never even hinted at being able to say "da da" until now, after his surgery.
Brian and I both swear we heard "da da" and "daddy" clearly tonight when playing with him.
I wonder if his closed and lengthened palate is already making a difference!
He has also made several other noises/sounds that we never heard before the surgery.

Still loves his kitties!
Now that he is mobile he chases after them with a big cheeser grin and is learning to catch them.

Finally had his cleft palate repaired.

We're still in the recovery period which is proving to be the hardest part.

I just try to keep reminding myself how quickly 3 weeks  will fly by...
then we are back to normal and better than before.

We had to sleep train him again for the THIRD time.
I don't know if I can handle another night of a screaming baby.
Luckily it only took about 2 nights and he's back to sleeping through the night again.
I'm just praying this is the last 'big' event to totally mess up his sleep habits.

Hates when we lay him down to change his diaper.
he will squirm and try to roll around like his life depended on it.
For awhile, it was so hard to hold him down it had become a 2 person job.

Loves to talk on the phone!
He used to just want to chew on our cell phones but one day he started putting it up to his ear.
It's so funny how quickly they pick up on things!

 
Can shake his head 'yes' and 'no' to mimic you.
Pretty sure he doesn't really know what they mean yet.

Does not really like to sit down and read books anymore.
(Hoping this is just a phase!)
You can usually get in about 2 pages before he tries to turn a couple pages, then shut the book and throw it to the ground.
Does not have the attention span or isn't interested in sitting and listening.

Is still a little string bean.

We have to wait to do his one year check up at least 4 weeks after his surgery so we don't have an updated height and weight yet but he's small.

He has already lost a pound since on his liquid diet.

 I am so ready for him to start eating well and fatten up.

It sucks having to constantly worry about him getting calories and gaining weight.

Loves the Itsy Bitsy Spider.  

His favorite song by far.

He tries to do the spider motions and is getting pretty close.

Will start to 'dance' when you put on music and bounce to it.

Is into EVERYTHING.

Loves to get into the cabinets and pull things out.

Loves to put everything he can in his mouth.

This stage is the most exhausting... 
certain things are easier 

(like him sitting in a high chair and feeding himself)

but we can't let him leave our sight for 1 second or he is trying to put something he shouldn't into his mouth.

Is officially on soy milk.

He still got gas pains when we tried regular dairy or lactose free milk.

Not sure if he officially has a milk protein allergy but we're claiming that for now and he tolerates soy well so far.

Has become super affectionate.  

He was pretty lovey dovey before his surgery but even more so afterwards.

Sometimes its a little needy (when he accompanies it with whines) but he is always coming up to Brian and I and giving us hugs and kisses.

Has 4 teeth.

The two on the bottom came awhile ago and the top two just came through.

One was relatively painless, the other took 2 weeks to pop through... so painful!

Even though it makes me sad he is getting bigger and growing up we are also so excited for all the new things that are coming!
He gets more and more fun every single day.

Happiest 1st Birthday, Nug Bug!!!!
We love you so much!