My new favorite birthday toy – thanks Gramma!

Happy First Birthday, little big man, BenBoots, bops, biscuit man, baby honu… You are ONE now! Wow – what a year you have had. You are so grown up, and you feel it, don’t you? With Big Brother Sam to watch and admire, you don’t miss a trick. You’re right in there, insisting on walking down stairs, crawling up slides, head-first into the water no matter how big the waves are…Sam says he likes your claps the most, and Daddy says he likes splash claps. Do you remember your funny claps now that you’re doing “real” ones? You used to “clap” your fists vertically, banging your fists together as they passed each other in mid-air. You’d sometimes get so wild you’d bop yourself in the forehead on each pass, but that didn’t stop you! You’re walking now, although you don’t like mommy to know so you hide your walking from me so you get cuddle-carries longer. You’ll walk across your bedroom for Daddy or Sammy, but not Mommy! You say all kinds of little words, and you really seem to understand things beyond your years. You traveled so well to Europe, and we can’t wait for our next trip (Maui next week). I am perplexed, though – why do you still fight me so much to have your diaper changed? Why do you hang upside down and writhe while I’m trying to wipe you? What is so difficult about just getting cleaned up? I sing, I play, I coo, I smile, I give you toys, none of that works. You hate being interrupted. The irony is the more you writhe the longer your interruption. With the smell of Memorial Day grilling all around, I’m hankering for a camping trip…now that you’re walking it will be easier in many ways. What a messy buddy you were on the other campouts. We love you Ben, so much. You are so funny and have such a bright, engaging, wide-mouth smile. What will you get into this year? What mischief awaits? Happy birthday, my big man. I love you!