Happy Birthday Sawyer!

Dear Sawyer-
Just look at you, look how handsome you are.  Your hair has changed from a strange shade of brown with blond low-lights to white.  You get more comments on your big blue eyes than anything else.  You're going to be a charmer with those baby blues!  You're brown as a bear and your Daddy and I are still scratching at our heads as to where you get that trait.  You're a little small for your age but you make up for it in your devilish good looks (:

This year has flown by.  It still seems like yesterday that Buff was taking me to the hospital for your big arrival.  Little did I know that you were already ready to come out and in a short 30 minutes, I'd get to meet you.  You were perfect from the moment I saw you.

Your big brother was anxious to see his baby brother, "Pete", but he dropped that moniker as soon as he saw you and decided he'd call you Sawyer like everyone else.  From day one you've enjoyed watching your brother's every move.  When he comes into the room your face lights up with excitement.  You love to hover over him while he eats his breakfast, just hoping he'll drop you a little morsel of something you're not supposed to have.  You like to pull his hair, try to bite him, and grab at him when you're trying to stand up.  Sometimes he's okay with this but most of the time he whines.

You've been pulling up for over a month now and you'll occasionally even stand on your own.  It's a short stint before you fall to the ground.  You don't seem phased by it, you just opt to crawl to your next destination.  When you do walk, you like to either hang on to my pant legs and let me shuffle with you or you'll hang on to my fingers for a bit and let me walk with you.  I think one of your favorite (and funniest) positions is up on your knees with your hands extended over your head.  Most of the time this is your way of telling - not asking - me to pick you up.  You also like to do this when there's something on the ceiling or just generally above your head that you're trying to reach.  For whatever reason, you LOVE things up high.

You have a love for balloons that we discovered on your brother's birthday.  You make the o-face and say, "Ooh, ooh," as you bounce on your knees.

You've recently learned to clap and you like when we say, "Yay, Sawyer!"  You like to clap in between bites and we think that must be your way of telling us you want another bite.

You're a pretty good eater but when you don't want something, you calmly pick it up off your tray and dispose of it off the side, onto the ground.  There's no haste but there's no hesitation either.  If we sneak something into your mouth that you don't like the taste or texture of, you stick your tongue our and make an awful face to get the object out of your mouth.  You love anything shaped like an O and your other favorites are sweet potatoes, carrots, and yogurt.  You've recently discovered juice in a sippy cup as well and you like when we pretend to take a drink from your cup.

You think Daddy is very funny but you're definitely a Mommy's boy.  When you see Mommy, you practically jump out of someones arms to get at me.  If we're in the same room and I leave for just a second, you cry immediately.  You'll only snuggle with Mommy in the bed in the mornings, even though Daddy is right there.  When I get up to get ready, you have to come with me or else you'll throw a big fit.  At dinner, you like sitting across the table from Daddy so he can make faces at you.  You dance, kick, and laugh at his crazy antics.

You have 4 teeth on top and 2 on the bottom.  Unlike your brother, you've let it be known when each tooth has broken through.  The first 4 you got sick with each one - a fever and cold-like symptoms - and the last 2 you've just been chewing on things a lot and have little bursts of what appear to be pain-induced cries.

You sleep pretty well at night but your naps are sporadic at best.  You prefer to be held while you nap or to be riding in the car.  If the car stops, you wake up.  The end.  Part of this is not your fault, as you mother and Buff are both busy bodies and take you on a lot of errands.

You haven't said any real words yet, unless you count the "daad" that you say a lot.  You don't seem to be directing it at Daddy, so I can only assume it's just sounds.  You do babble a lot though.  Some days you just talk and talk, as if you're having a conversation with someone.

You don't really have a favorite toy but we do wrap you up in a pink Churchill Weavers blanket every night.  Poor thing, pink will probably be your favorite color!  You do enjoy your brother's chef Dora doll and if you happen to have her with you while you're napping in the car, you hold onto both of her arms with your little hands.  It's precious!  In general, you tend to prefer whatever your brother has or something that was not intended to be a toy.  Take for example, this box.

My little Sawyer, you are such a joy.  Most of the time you are a happy baby (as long as you're getting your way).  You love to give open mouth "kiss, kiss, kisses" and you just fit perfectly into my chest.  When you want to give a hug, you tuck your little hands down at your side sot hey don't get in the way of my squishing you.  I love you so much, my precious little boy! 

Love,
Mommy

 A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for.” -Anonymous