12 months!

One year.  365 days and nights of life-changing little boy love!  This last month of Colby's first year was crazy and great!  Can you handle these little clapping hands?

 And these walking feet?

 The boy that will climb on anything.

 What a difference a year makes... especially when it is your first.

Quick synopsis of the twelfth month:
Colby is a full time walker now after learning to stand up without the need for assistance.  He loves it.  He is a dancing fool!  He loves to get his groove on which usually involves pointing his pointer finger while he bobs up and down.  Sometimes he shakes it up and shakes his fist like a president giving a speech while he dances.  He talks and talks and it is almost always started or ended with "dada."  He loves to stack things and put small things inside of bigger things.  We are in the process of weaning and are down to nursing 3 times a day and plan to be done in a month.  He doesn't like cow's milk and just let's it fall out of his mouth.  Sleep went through a rough patch at the beginning of the month but seems to be back to a great place.  There was also a lot of wanting to be held this month and fits when he got put down, but that also seems to be improving.  We started a class at My Gym and I fear that it will just encourage his need to climb without fear up anything.  We love it though.

There is so much no one tells you about being a parent.  It's best that way.  They might tell you about the sleep deprivation.  They mention the overwhelming amount of stuff that takes over your home and the way the money disappears from your bank account.  And there are things no one tells you because there aren't words enough.  There is no way to explain little arms wrapping around your neck, rocking a sick baby through the night, watching those wobbly legs take their first steps, or that watching him laugh makes me so happy it hurts.  God has given us the purest joy in sweet Colby and we are so grateful!

Every child born into the world is a new thought of God, an ever-fresh and radiant possibility.
-Kate Douglas Wiggin