***Disclamer: I started writing this post a month ago, but the pressure to reflect on an entire year overwhelmed me to the point of procrastination. Anyway, it's a bit scattered, but better late than never, right?
Hopefully there wasn't too much doubt about whether we'd all survive Parker's first year, but we did it! I'm so happy that we've put the sleepless nights, blow-outs (have I ever mentioned that Parker literally had a blow-out everyday?), and the constant fear of dropping him behind us. I feel like I've learned a lot in this first year. In no particular order:
* New moms talk about their babies. A lot. Way more than anyone is interested in listening to. So to those that feigned interest as I described the minutia of Parker's sleeping habits, his bowel movements, and those crusties behind his ear, thank you. I promise to return the favor to other new moms.
* Just when I think Parker has established new, consistent habits, he changes them. For a couple days he'll repeat sounds after I say them, and then he'll stop doing it for a week or more. I remember when Parker was about two months I asked his pediatrician how long it would be before Parker was on a same-time-everyday schedule for napping and eating. He looked at me with a "this really is your first child, isn't it?" kinda look and said that I should forget that notion. "Why tie yourself down like that?" he said. "Most babies don't operate like that, anyway." Didn't he understand that I needed some structure to my crazy life? We've found that it's much easier to work around Parker's schedule and I've learned to go with the flow a little better.
* In the last two years I've been served heaping portions of humble pie, over and over again. Hey! I'm full and I don't want anymore- this pie tastes like junk! I hadn't realized how judgemental I'd been about parenting; it's so easy to judge when you haven't gone through a similar experience yourself. So, if you want to nurse your baby until he's five, let your baby run around in his diaper all day everyday, or name your daughter Princess Toadstool, (and not that you asked my opinion, but) I'm cool with that! I don't have to live with the consequences of your parenting actions, and you don't have to live with mine. I think we're all just trying to do the best we can with what we've got.
* Being a mom takes some getting used to and has forced us into a new normal, which I feel like I'm still adjusting to. But, it's brought so much joy into our lives! I love that Parker squeals with delight when Paul or I walk through the door. I've certainly developed a deeper love for Paul as I've watched him be a great dad and as he supports me as a mom. I love that I'm never bored with Parker around and I love seeing him learn and develop.
Some Parker updates:
*Parker is an amazing crawler, but no walking or standing on his own yet.
Update: He can stand on his own for up to 20 seconds. He loves walking around our apartment while we hold his hands. He had never been exposed to stairs before last week at my dad's house and he learned how to crawl up them the first day and how to crawl down on the second.*He talks a lot and is very expressive while doing so, but it's nothing that we can understand.
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Update: Parker knows his first word: no!, although it sounds more like na. At first I thought it was a coincidence, but he definitely says it when he wants us to stop doing something, like giving him food he doesn't want to eat.*While we were in Boise, Paul said that he slept in almost every day and I was so jealous. It was good that he got all rested up because when Parker and I got home, we started to wean him. Paul has been waking up with him in the morning so that Parker doesn't smell me and want to nurse. I love that I've been able to nurse and I'm glad that I stuck with it even though it was pretty dismal at the onset.
*Parker is getting better with his stranger anxiety. The last time we were at the YMCA, I went to pick him up from the kid's center and he was chasing a ball down the hallway. It was the first time that he had ventured out of the lap of one of the babysitters.
Parker had an amazing birthday celebration that literally lasted for three days. On his actual birthday (February 24th) we went out to dinner with my sister and Paul's parents. Parker loved sitting in between grandma and grandpa, who let him play with all sorts of fun things-
especially grandpa's Blackberry! The next day we headed to Orange County to visit Paul's grandparents, who also have February birthdays. We went to Laguna Beach and walked around the tide pools and ate chocolate and hot dogs (at Parker's request, or course). That night Parker opened his presents and then we stripped him down, sat him on the counter, and put a delicious chocolate cupcake in front of him. He was not a fan. I put a piece of the cupcake in his mouth and he promptly took it out. It wasn't the frosting-in-hair experience I thought it would be, but it was late and I think he was a bit out of his element. The following day we did a reenactment of the birthday cupcake, this time in the comfort of his own home and high chair and he loved it!
With Great Grandpa and Grandma Fjeldsted:
At Laguna Beach the day after his bday:
In heaven with both Dad's AND Grandpa John's cell phones:
Elmo cupcakes (Turns out red food coloring really
does taste awfully. Although they were cute, they were inedible. Sad!):
Opening presents:
I am lovable:
Paul taught Parker how to love chocolate:
