Oh Hello There

I've been pretty absent from my blog lately. The only posts I've been writing are Bean's monthly letters, and honestly my only motivation for doing that was because I wanted to put them in my 365 photo project book.

Did everybody have a nice holiday season?

Ours was busy. I'm used to a very calm laid back holiday. I'm an only child, my mother is an only child and my father's side of the family (2 aunts, 2 uncles, 4 cousins with spouses) all live very far away. . . so yeah, our holidays were pretty much just us. Now between my husband's family, and Bean's birthday. . . things are nuts.

I plan to remedy this by celebrating Bean's half birthday in the summer once he gets old enough to realize what birthdays are. Summer birthday parties are always so much more fun. Plus then he will get presents twice a year evenly spaced out. My birthday is July, I always loved where it fell in the year (except I was always sad I never got my locker decorated during school). . . .speaking of I'm turning the big 3-0 this year. Yikes.

Anyway, I've been working on laying out my 365 photo book in MyPublisher. It's A LOT of work. I've been working on it for over a month and a half now. While the 365 was fun, and I learned a lot, I've decided not to do one again this year. I like how I have a photo a day (mostly of Bean). Watching him grow is so cool, but some photos are junky cell phone ones (not to trash cell phone pictures, some come out beautiful). I am going to keep taking lots of pictures, but I'm not going to stress about getting THAT photo for the day. I'm also going to do another photo book, but it will just be a "2012" one, not a 365. . . MyPublisher is such a cool program, I really hope that the book comes out as neat in real life as it looks on my computer screen.

And just for fun, here is Bean sleeping with his little tushie in the air. Love it when they do that.

12 Months

Dear Bean,

Well we survived our first year together!

Twelve incredible months made up of so many special moments I can't even count.

Today when I was nursing you in our rocker you popped off and signed "milk" to me. Lately you have really starting using the three signs we taught you: milk, more and all done. Then after you signed to me you smiled and continued to nurse. I looked down on you and asked you if it was yummy; I do this a lot when you are eating anything. Again you popped off, babbled "bum bum" (I think you meant yum yum) and then went back to nursing.

After you finished nursing I called downstairs to your Daddy, yelling his first name really loudly. Right after I said that you followed up by yelling, "Da!" You've done this several times in the past few days and it melts my heart when you do it.

Last week you started standing on your own. For the longest time whenever you would stand and let go you would immediately plop on your butt, then all of a sudden you started doing it like it was no big deal. A few days later your Grandma and Grandpa came over and you were showing off your standing skills and took a few steps on your own. I thought it was a fluke but you have been walking more and more every day. Today you took about 5-6 steps before you fell, I think in a week or two you will have it down pat. Then I will really be in trouble keeping up with you.

You are a very musical baby. This month you finally started to clap while I sing "If You're Happy and You Know It." Sometimes if there is music on the t.v. you will do this little dance where you stand and bend your knees and bop your little butt. I think it might be the cutest thing ever. A close second might be when you wave hello and bye bye. Sometimes I swear you even say bye bye too.

While you were staying with your Grandma and Grandpa's for new years eve they said you were playing catch; not only catching the ball but throwing it back. They also taught you how to gently pet Olive, instead of whacking her in the head or pulling her beard. I'm sure she appreciates that new lesson.

You are starting to remind me of a little sponge, picking things up faster and faster. I am so proud to call myself your mother. Watching you grow and develop these past 12 months has been one of the most incredible experiences in my life. Not a day goes by that I don't look at you and think how lucky I am to have you in my life, and how blessed your Daddy and I are to have you as our son.

I love you to the moon and back,

Mama