{Ben: One Year Old!}

Ben, you are a year old!  You have grown up so quickly and we are having the best time at this fun age!  You have changed so much over the past year, but one thing stays the same, you are still the sweetest, happiest baby around.  Hands down.

{Ben at his one year check-up}

Here are few updates on ole Benny boy!

1.   We went to the pediatrician on Monday and Ben is weighing in at 28 lbs and 13 ounces, so he has really slimmed down.  He is in the 98% still in weight, but definitely slowing down a lot and even losing a bit.  He is one tall boy though measuring 33 1/4 inches, the 100%.  No one really believes you just turned one since you look like a two year old :).

2.  Ben says five words at the moment:  Mama, Dog, No, Uh-oh and Ball.  He babbles all the time and loves to repeat any sound you make.  We spend most car rides with going back and forth making different noises. 

3.  Ben blows kisses and it is the cutest thing ever.

4.  Ben started walking a week after he turned 10 months old and has not slowed down since.  He is getting into everything and walks/runs all over the house.  His new favorite game is following Luke around as he runs laps in the house through the hallway and den.  And now he is into climbing (Lord, help me). 

5.  He is still a clapping, waving and pointing fool.  I really do love this stage!  He now bounces and dances when music comes on and will even sway back and forth.  We went caroling in our neighborhood the other day (hopefully a post soon on that!) and he would just dance and swing his arms to all the kids singing Jingle Bells. 

6.  Ben is still sleeping between 10 and 11 hours at night and usually takes two 1 1/2 to 2 hour naps, but sometimes just one longer one. Life got so much more wonderful when Ben learned how to sleep.  I feel like it really has changed everything.

7.  We are down to Ben nursing just once a day in the morning.  He takes whole milk and water in a cup during the day and has a bottle of whole milk before bed.  I am thinking another week or so of nursing and then we will move on.  It has been a wonderful experience nursing Ben and I am so happy that it is naturally tapering off.  He is still learning to drink whole milk from a cup.  He likes it okay, but still doesn't drink enough to stop the bottle/nursing all together. 

8.  Food is a big deal now.  Ben spends lots of days hanging out in the kitchen trying to get stuff off the counters or moaning because he wants something.  It can get frustrating to find foods that he will eat or not tire of and just enough of things to fill him up.  I am constantly searching for new things to try.  And of course, he likes all junk food - pizza, chicken tenders, macaroni.  But he does love bananas, watermelon, applesauce and some other healthy option too. 

9.  Ben still has eight teeth.  I think I see two more spots on the bottom starting to bulge so maybe more to come soon.

10.  Ben loves to be outside.  LOVES IT.  He loves going to the park and the slide is where it is at.  He is at the age where he thinks he can do it all, so he scares the begeezus out of me because he will climb all the way to the top of climbing structures.  So I have to be on him all the time!  Oh and also because there are acorns everywhere these days and he will gladly have five in his mouth at a time.

11.  Water.  I forgot to mention water.  The boy loves a water glass.  Like my water glass.  And he loves to stick his fat, chubby paw in it and splash in it and fish out all my ice.  His poor hand is like an icicle by the time we are done with dinner at a restaurant -- but it keeps him soooooo happy. 

12..  Ben got two shots while at the pediatrian's office and I delayed two of them.  So we will go back in a month or two and get the rest.  He did great for the first shot and didn't even cry, but the next one wasn't as easy.  There were tears.

There are so many good things happening for Ben lately, but there are also bad days like any baby.  He is really coming out of his shell though and showing us his personality.  He has strong opinions now too and will gladly scream his head off and arch his back if you try to take him out of the swing at the park before he is ready.  I know all the pudge and innocence slowly start trickling away after this age, so I am trying to soak it in while I can.  It was a crazy year, but so fun.  Can't wait to see what this next year holds!