Happy Birthday, Hurdle Turtle!

You are one year old! What an accomplishment. You comb your hair after a bath, you let us brush your teeth, you love to play hide and seek, and you LOVE open the flap books.

We had a small birthday party for you the Sunday before your big day. Your Seattle cousins came, and you tried your first cupcake. Each cupcake was decorated with a shot of you….with Grammy, with your Aunties, wearing your mustache binky, in the water with Mommy, and more.

You tasted the cupcake tentatively at first. But when you decided it was safe and delicious, you stuffed it in with both hands.

Your cousins were eager to show you how to open your first birthday presents.

Lately, Mommy has been anxious about your development. You haven’t said your first recognizable word yet, you don’t always turn your head when we call you by your name, and you only walk when we hold your hand. I try to remind Mommy of the book she read before you were born, Having Your Second Child First, but she sometimes gets worked up when she hears what other kids your age are doing…..I think those Mommies are stretching the truth…their kids don’t have 6 words already.

But just this week, when Mommy asked you where your nose is, you put your finger right on your nose!  And then you kept going and stuck your finger IN your nose, and do so every time we ask you something that begins with, “Where’s your….”

Grammy and Grandpa Chuckles visited after you turned one. They stayed with you for two days, reading, pushing your car, and trying to expose you to some new foods.

In the world these days, President Obama is scheduled to give an executive order on immigration tonight in his State of the Union address, Bill Cosby has been feeling heat for allegations of illicit acts against women, an epic snow in Buffalo, NY dumped more than 5 feet this week, the ebola outbreak is not on the front page any more, and stores are stocked with Christmas decorations already. Our family heads to DC for Thanksgiving next week. Mommy also is gearing up for a sendoff from her work tomorrow and will start her new job in early December.

Here’s a sound clip from you and Mommy a few weeks ago.

Be well, dear heart. Love, Daddy.