Where to begin? Well, let’s start with the obvious. You’re ONE! Happy Birthday!

You are such a little boy! You love trucks and cars and tools and trains but, also babies and kitties and puppies… you are all boy, but, have a sweetness that is undeniable. You go from crashing your trucks together to rocking your baby doll and I love all of that about you.

I just had to read your 9-month letter to even grasp how much you’ve changed over the past 3 months. For starters you got 6 teeth! I remember back then trying to imagine your smile filled with teeth and worrying that you wouldn’t be as cute.

Luckily, I was wrong:

And then, there was that other little development… you know, no big deal – but, YOU CAN WALK! And have been doing so for about a month.

Seeing you take your first few wobbly steps was the most exciting moment of our life together, outside of the first time I held you. You are becoming incredibly confident and more skilled at this upright thing every day. The true joy, concentration with just a hint of trepidation that splashes across your face when you stand up and walk on your own sweeps up everyone around you creating cheers of encouragement and squeals of laughter.

You started to give hugs – first only when you thought you were in danger and then they came all the time – for no reason, other than you FINALLY REALIZED THAT YOU LOVE US – about time kid! And you give sweet, albeit open-mouth kisses (interspersed between bites). Uh – yeah, you’re a biter. We have been working on it – the biting thing – and you have gotten better – meaning that your bites are less frequent, however, you have, at the same time, gotten stronger so when the mood strikes so does your death-grip crocodile-jaw. We are going with the “no bite.”; “here – bite this.” (insert toy into mouth); “OUCH!” (pretend cry) – tactic. And so far it seems to be working.

You also eat almost ANYTHING. Watermelon has not made it through to your gullet. It is the only thing you have actually spat out – and don’t doubt that we haven’t tried to find things that you wouldn’t like! Here’s a list of some of the more obscure items that you have liked:

salsa (this is more like a love affair than a simple appreciation for flavor)
curry lentils
olives
pickles
capers
pork ribs
Kona Kampachi from Uchi
Chicken confit
steamed kale
pretty much any kind of fish
aged cheddar (no Kraft Singles for this kid – you know you’re spoiled when you have only ever eaten cheese that is priced by the pound and older than you are)

We couldn’t be more proud. We were terrified that you would be an insanely picky eater from the get-go, and I totally understand that you probably will be – any day now, but, for the time being, we are loving your willingness to like anything.

Pretty much, you are just a totally rad human being. And we love hanging out with you.

Love, momma

Listening: Cymbals Eat Guitars (LOVING IT – thanks OCMD!)

Thank you to grandparents-McKirdy for the sandbox-making. To Kylie and Jeff for the multiple errand-running. To great-grandpa for making the long trip out. To grandparents-Blase for gutter-cleaning (an unexpected bonus!). And to all of you for the general good-times-having. We sure are lucky to have all of you in our lives.

But, even when you’re elbow-deep in sawdust and old, leafy-gutter-muck it is important to remember how lucky YOU are to have Harrison in your lives. Just keep that in mind when we drop him off at your house this summer and take off for Vegas.

Listening: Obits