Happy Birthday Patrick!

Birthday Boy!

Wow...I know everyone says it happens, but really where has this past year gone?  Do we really have a one year old baby already?  I can hardly believe you are a year old today (I actually started this post on your birthday).  It seems like yesterday that you were born.  We love your sweet smile and contagious laugh.  We love your big hugs and kisses.  We love your expressiveness---you aren't shy to share your emotions (the good and the bad!).  We love your playfulness and curiosity.  You truly have been such a blessing to us.  We are thankful everyday for you!

Now that you are one, here are some highlights from the past year--as best as I can remember them :) 

Eating

 From 6-10 months of age, you refused most solid food (unless it was Orange Vanilla Greek Yogurt) and I worried so much that you weren't going get enough to eat and that you were going to be a picky eater (even pickier than your brother Sam!).  Aunt Caroline even worked her speech therapy magic on you to no avail.  I bought books, researched on the internet, tried all kinds of food, but nothing interested you except milk.  My how things have changed since then.  Now you eat almost everything and anything.  You even enjoyed a dill pickle spear last weekend!  You sucked on that pickle like it was a popsicle!  I think you eat more than Sam, now...seriously :)

Sleeping

The day you turned 11 months was the first day that you slept through the night.  It was a long 11 months before that night!  I attributed your waking up in the middle of the night to the fact that you weren't eating what most babies your age were eating...I figured you needed the calories and you were actually hungry at night.  I don't know if that was the true reason, but once you started eating regularly you really did start sleeping  better at night.  Now you sleep through the night except for an occasional outburst --if you wake up in the middle of the night you can usually fall back asleep again on your own within about 5 minutes.  That is a milestone in my eyes!  I've always said there is nothing else in this world that I would get up in the middle of the night for night after night except my baby.  I love my sleep, but I love you more.  I think I was supposed to let you "cry it out", but I just couldn't do it.  Night after night, it was like sleep walking to me!  You'd cry and I'd crawl out of bed...even when I promised myself to let you cry.  Anyway, it has been a struggle, but you are finally sleeping all night.  I love it.

Playtime

You love to play with the push toys right now and what ever Sam is playing so now we are starting to see the struggles with sharing between you.   Even still there is a brotherly love that I can already see between you, also.  I hope to foster that love between you as you grow.   My favorite is watching you play cars and make the car noises like Sam.  I can already tell you watch him carefully and like to mimic what you see!  You also impress me with your block tower building skills.  I can't leave a laundry basket on the floor without you climbing in, either!

Just Look at that Smile!

We love you!