12 Months

From _lightroom3

Weight: 22.5lbs
Height: 27.5in

Grady at 12 months

I really and truly can not believe it's been a year.  But at the same time I can.  I know exactly how long some of these nights were.  And yet I look back and it's all over?  Really?  His infancy is gone.  He's still very much a baby and young.  He's not signing up for college or even pre-k.  But he took his first step solo on Sunday.  He's trying really hard to stand solo and he'll be walking before I'm ready.

It's hard to tell if he's talking or saying sounds.  I think when he says Grrr, Grrrr, he's trying to say his brother's name.  Mama he's got.  Da is daddy.

Mostly, like right this second, he shrieks.  It's shrill and loud and so annoying.  I am told it's the way of communicating preferred by second children the world over.

He cruises with the fire truck and the walker.  He gets so frustrated - like right this second - when he can't keep going because - like right this second - the fire truck slams into the bean bag chair.  And I swear it's a shriek heard round the world.  I think you heard it at your house too, right?

Tonight we have cake and dinner with his uncle.  Tomorrow I am making a smash cake to see if he'll be one of those kids who will enjoy making a mess of it.  We'll see.  People pay hundreds of dollars to let their kids smear themselves with frosting and have someone photograph it.  I will show you what we come up with.