Happy Birthday to our Baby Boy!!

It is so hard to believe that an entire year has passed already! It is amazing to think back on all that we have accomplished and experienced in the past 12 months. And to look at how much Charlie has grown and changed is mind boggling! What a difference a year makes!

As a year old, Charlie, you:

- walk all over with great confidence

- can climb up the stairs (with someone close behind and with good traction on your feet!)

- love puffs, Kix, yogurt melts, dried apple bits, and other crunchy finger foods

- enjoy sweet potatoes, applesauce, yogurt with blueberries, cereal with bananas

- drink 3 bottles a day (about 8 oz each) and eat 3 times a day, sometimes with more success than others!

- have just started eating buttered toast and grilled cheese with some amount of success, but resort to throwing it on the floor when you have had enough

- giggle incessantly when people play peek-a-boo with you (especially Aunt Dee and Aunt Liz)

- call for your dada and say "hi" and "bye" to him when he comes and goes

- climb on things you shouldn't (ie: the toy box, your activity table, etc)

- love Chester and pull out handfuls of his fur whenever he comes close enough for you to grab (I think he loves you in return though, because he always comes back!)

- horde all your pacifiers in your crib - one is never enough and you always have to switch from one to another when you are sitting in there

- sleep through the night for 11-12 hours regularly - when you do wake up you usually put yourself back to sleep or go back to sleep once mommy or daddy calm you down

- usually nap twice a day for an hour or two at a time

- love when people come to visit and you show them all your favorite toys one at a time

- have 5 teeth that have come in and another 4 that are moving in (including 1 molar)

- weigh about 20.5 lbs

Charlie, we never could have imagined the impact that you have had on our lives and on so many other lives in just one short year. You have brought so many people together and into our lives. We love being your mommy and daddy and taking care of you every day. We love your laugh. We love your pout. We love how you bounce around when the music is playing and when you get that sneaky look in your eyes when you think you are getting away with something. We cannot imagine spending our days doing anything else but playing with and caring for you and loving you. You have completed our lives and enriched our love. We love you baby boy and look forward to watching you grow up even more over this next year - so long as you don't get too grown up for cuddling!