One Year Old!

Austin loves to help me empty the dishwasher if it is ever left open. Sometimes I just let him go at it while I'm trying to make dinner because it distracts him for some time. Otherwise he is whining at my feet holding onto my legs.

 11 months old

Sharing an ice cream cone with Mommy 

(wearing my painting clothes as I painted the game room during his nap)

At 11 months, Austin LOVED to point at any and everything

He learned how to climb up the stairs, and actually figured out climbing down the stairs without much guidance or practice like I did with my other boys. 

Except for Caleb, we've been lazy about a baby gate and just watch him closely. He has had one tumble down 7 or so stairs. :(

Celebrating his birthday with cousins

Singing "Happy Birthday"

Rainbow cupcakes

One year stats
Weight: 21 lb 3oz (48th percentile)
Height: 28" (2nd percentile)
Head Circumference: 49.5 cm (off the charts on the high end)

The pediatrician was concerned about his height, which keeps falling. She ordered a test for celiac disease and thyroid. The shots are hard enough without adding blood tests. I had to hold him down while two nurses worked on taking blood from one arm. Austin screamed bloody murder the whole time. At one point he jerked, ripping the needle out, and they had to continue on the other arm. Nothing is as painful as watching your child in pain and wanting to take it away from them...

The tests came back normal. I'm not thrilled that he will likely be quite short, but I'm glad that he is healthy. 

[This experience was deja vu from his 9 month appt. where she was concerned about his weight and ordered blood tests to check out a few things. (Can't remember!) I panicked over my milk supply, but in the end felt okay about focusing on increasing his solid food. His weight was right back where it needed to be at this appointment.]

Austin refuses to take a 2nd nap most days and thus goes to bed around 6pm. He does take a good morning nap for 2 hours, which is helpful during preschool. I still don't feel like he gets the amount of sleep he should.

Since I am almost a month past his 1st birthday, here are some more updates:

Since Disney World, he tends to wake up once a night. Ugh! We give him a sip of milk or water and put him back to bed. I've left a sippy cup of water in his crib at night, but he hasn't found it by himself yet. 

A week ago I cut out the nighttime nursing, so we are down to once a day in the morning. I'll wean him completely soon. Mixed feelings about it. This recent change may play into his nighttime waking.

He can take about 5 steps independently before he squats down and crawls. He's close to being a full-time walker!

Austin loves to play outside. He loves the swing and climbing up slides and loves me to hold him while jumping on the trampoline.

He is a big stinker about eating regular foods. My other boys all loved peas, green beans, and corn. I can't get Austin to eat vegetables! So I feel stuck that I have to continue to feed him pureed veggies. His favorite foods are chicken nuggets and peanut butter sandwiches. (He loves peanut butter!) He also loves pancakes/waffles or scrambled eggs for breakfast. Unless it's some sort of pasta, he refuses to eat what I make for dinner as well. Grrr.

Austin has also started mimicking sounds. Recently, if we ever tell him "no," he will put his head down and start crying. It's pretty cute. :)