Yesterday, my baby turned one! He’s not walking yet, so technically I guess he’s not a “toddler,” but it’s incredible to watch his understanding of the world grow at this stage. Although he can’t make any recognizable words yet, he absolutely communicates both verbally and physically. Pointing has become very popular with him, and sometimes even means something in particular. And in addition to something vaguely resembling “mama” and “dada,” he will sometimes try to echo a word or phrase he’s very interested in like “kitty” (“ih-eh”), or that he hears over and over like “I see you” (“aseu”) at Great Grandma Vickie’s house.
There are two important tasks that have now been hanging over my head for a year now: send thank-you notes for all the wonderful shower gift and hand-me-down we got, and write my birth story. When I was pregnant I found it both helpful and reassuring to read the stories of real people’s individual deliveries. Ina May Gaskin‘s Spiritual Midwifery includes a great collection, but I also consumed birth stories ravenously through the forums on mothering.com, and from my peers in Svea Oster’s prepared childbirth class (highly recommended).
I was hoping to write the birth story this weekend, but doing Izzy’s birthday party (a very low-key affair at a nearby park with friends and family) has sapped a lot of energy, and I have to save some up for yet another day without childcare as the daycare has decided to take 2 days off for Easter, even though I get none.
I’ve been having very strong flashbacks to a year ago, so hopefully I will capitalize on it soon before the memories fade away.