Joshua Is A Year Old!!!

It's hard to believe that twelve months has already gone by. Time flies when you don't want it to, but when you beg it to go faster it drags it's feet. I have enjoyed this past year so much (not that I am ready to repeat it any time soon by any means). There have been many ups and downs with raising Joshua and they have all been major learning experiences for Mommy, Daddy, and baby (who is not a baby anymore, but a toddler, even though he will be Mommy's baby boy even when he is forty).

It has been so amazing being able to watch him do everything for the first time. I have enjoyed being able to savor knowing that I don't have to hear about his accomplishments and milestone's second hand. I get to tell Daddy about it and then Nana, Papa, Abuelita....and if I am lucky I will have it on video by the end of the day as proof to my words.

I turned Joshua's car seat around so that he is facing forward. He is legally able to ride that way being one year AND twenty pounds in weight. His rides in the car are going to be so much nicer now. He'll be able to better interact with Daddy and I when we drive him around. I am not a fan of extended rear-facing, in which you keep your child rear-facing into their toddler years. Great if that works for you, but I get car sick just thinking about it and don't want to put my son through that, besides it's a personal choice not the law.

I am also proud that I am able to say that I breastfed Joshua for a whole year. I can remember crying when we were still in the hospital because it seemed as though he didn't want to latch on, when it reality it was just the environment. We were interrupted every couple of hours by nurses ALL day long and no one was comfortable. When we came home he took to it really well and has grown wonderfully both physically and emotionally. My advice to future moms out there...give it a try you may feel differently about it than you originally thought. After all you can't really put something so wonderful down until you have personally tried it and made it through the hardest part....the first week.

So, as this year goes by we start a new one of watching Joshua go through the challenges of growing up and watching all of his accomplishments and firsts at seeing new things that will excite him. Before we know it he will be a grown man off on his own adventures that we won't be able to watch as closely.