You are 12.5 months old now. So many things have happened over the last year, I wonder how many of them I've already let slip away from my memory. Tonight as I was reading you bedtime stories I was thinking of how much I love our bedtime routine and it occurred to me that a few months or years from now, our routine will be different and I wondered if I would remember the specifics of why I enjoyed our time together. So here are some things I love doing with you so that one day we can both look back at this and remember:
At Bedtime:
- I love reading you Goodnight Moon and pointing out all the objects as they're named.
- I love seeing you get excited when I ask if you want to brush your teeth. It's even better when you stick your finger in your mouth and pretend you're brushing.
- I love holding up two books and having you reach for the one you want to read, and I love that usually the book you choose is Max's Birthday.
- I love when you put your foot up over and over again for me to kiss when I'm nursing you.
- I love when I say, "You want to cuddle Mommy?" that you let me hold you and rock you and rub your back and sing to you, even if it's just for a second.
- I love singing to you, especially "Mama's Little Baby", "Hush Little Baby", "Jesus Loves Me" and of course, the "Belly Button Song".
Other times:
- I love taking you outside or to the window to look for airplanes and seeing you get so excited when we spot one.
- I love seeing you sit in the hallway yelling, "Ah! Ah! Ah!" to hear the echo.
- I love seeing you toddle around pushing your green push toy, looking so proud and accomplished as you amaze yourself that you can actually walk.
- I love seeing you pretend that everything is a phone and how you hold the object backwards to your ear (or rather behind your ear) and then shout, "Haaaaaaaaaaa!" over and over.
- I love how excited you get when I ask if you want to take a bath.
- I LOVE how you like to cuddle anything soft and will almost freefall onto things that look cuddly to you like Mama Bunny or the down comforter.
- I love how you tilt your head to the side and grin when anyone asks, "Are you so cute?"
- I love how you get so excited to see Daddy and reach for him and how you seem to feel content and secure when we have a big hug with Mommy, Daddy & you.
Most of all, I love you. I hope to make many more lists like this as you grow so we will always remember the little moments that add up to a life well-lived.
Love, Mommy
