13 Months

- 28 pounds
- 32.5 inches
- no longer has milk protein allergy! yay!
- spent most of his 12th month with a cold and then an ugly ear infection :(
- has 5 teeth and more on their way
- said his first word at the 13th month mark "Duck!" (got some rubber duckies for Xmas, which he loves)
- finally started walking when holding someone's hand (also happened right at 13 months)
- does not want to leave his pacifier, bottle, or infant formula (won't drink whole milk by itself)
- eats anything he sees you eat besides avocado
- hates hates hates hates his crib... co-sleeping is a thing now
- his apetite was off for a month, but it's back with a vengance... now he eats twice as much
- looking a little slimmer, still in 24-month clothes and size 4 diapers
- absolutely adores grandpa Elio
- gets very upset at being put down
- is learning to throw temper tantrums
- had a great Christmas full of gifts, yet his favorites are still tupperware and rubber duckies
- loves spashing in the bathtub
- got his third haircut
- still very photogenic
- favorite games are Peek-a-boo, Patty-cake, tickle fights, and playing Hide-and-Seek with grandma
- learns something new every day
- and most importantly, is surrounded by love, care, and people who dote on him

One Year Old!

- 99 percentile for weight (even though he's looking pretty slim now)
- 99 percentile for head circumference
- 95 percentile for height (still much taller than most of his friends)
- has 3 teeth and more on the way judging by how much he drools and bites his hands
- wears 24 month and 2T clothing
- is scared of balls (we blame Venom)
- was not interested in any of his birthday presents
- plays with "grown up" toys such as pens, anything he finds in cabinets, keys, and opening and closing doors
- responds to commands such as "no", "come here", and "give me"
- points at things he wants or holds out hands when he hurts them
- waves to be picked up, sometimes waves goodbye
- claps his hands
- loves piggy pack rides and holds on to hair
- refuses to walk or take steps even with holding someone's hand
- adores all grandparents
- has an extremely hard time falling asleep
- likes to feed himself
- his favorite way to play is putting things into containers and taking them out again, any container will do

11 Months Old

- Very colicky, takes hours to fall asleep every night, and wakes up crying most nights
- Needs to be cradled and rocked to sleep
- Very mommy attached, hardly ever wants dad
- Pulls himself up everywhere but still can't stand on his own
- Crawls super fast, opens drawers, cabinets, and anything within reach
- First tooth broke thru TODAY at 11 months.
- Losing interest in baby food and bottles.
- Immediately removes socks and shoes
- Hates loose clothing
- Mostly sleeps face down, butt up
- Slimming down! Shorts and pants that didn't fit 3 weeks ago now fit perfectly.
- Clothing ranges from stretched-out 12 month onesies to the occasional 2T outfit
- Babbles and screams all day long, but louder when he's tired
- Getting along better with Venom now that he doesn't pull his hair so hard
- Hates diaper changes, clothing changes, feedings, being strapped into the car seat, hugs, and anything else which requires him to stay still for longer than 2 seconds.
- Has random "happy hours" where he laughs at everything

First Birthday: A Letter To My Baby Boy

Dear Emmett,
I constantly remember our first conversation on the day you were born. You had been passed around for pictures and hugs for at least an hour, and I was too exhausted to do anything about it. I was also extremely shy about holding you... I had no idea how to do it! What was I supposed to do with my arms and hands? A nurse ushered everyone out and placed you, all bundled up and very quiet, in the crook of my left arm. I didn't move or adjust you because everything felt so awkward and I didn't want to hurt you, all I could do was stare and stare. After several minutes of quiet, I shily whispered "Hello baby, I'm so glad to finally meet you." and then you responded in the most beautiful way, a tiny little squeak that sounded exactly like "Hi." Instant tears came to my eyes and I asked "Did you just say hi to me?" and your response was "Yes." Those are the two first sounds I remember you making... strangely, I don't remember the sound of your wailing cry at the moment of your birth. (Although I can picture it clearly)

It's so hard to believe that it's been a year since that conversation, and that we've had thousands of them since then. We have been together for all of our "firsts" and I still can't get enough of them, no matter how small and inconsequential. All I can say is how grateful I am to have such a perfect little partner to share my firsts with, even if this year was a whirlwind of parenting mistakes. I became increasingly panicked as the day of your birth loomed closer and you would be exposed to this big ole world. I was so afraid of hurting you because you'd be frail and tiny. Boy you proved me wrong. From the second you were placed on my stomach I felt your strength: 9 pounds of bold, fierce life, and I quickly learned that "frail and tiny" would never be adjectives to describe you.

There are so many things I love about you, but I think my favorite is that you have somehow found 365 ways to make me smile and laugh, and you are finding more every day. We have our ups and downs, of course... my inexperience paired with your extreme energy and stubbornness isn't always an easy match, but I can surely tell you one thing: I have loved every second of every day with you in my life. 

10 Months Old

- 27.2 pounds (99.7 percentile)

- 31.25 inches long (99.6 percentile)

- head circumference 51 centimeters (100 percentile) 

- very strong willed

- explosion of movement at 9+months. Is in constant motion from the moment he wakes until the second he falls asleep.

- was sick at 9.5 months and hated everything :(

- has finally FINALLY learned to move those chunky legs and crawl

- pulls himself up, but only with enough motivation (like getting to Venom outside the bathtub) 

- roams the house in his walker

- figured out how to open cabinets (uh ohh) 

- if he finds it on the floor, it's going in his mouth.

- annoys Venom by pulling on his tail or face when he's trying to sleep

- has a temper! will throw things when he's angry, and if they don't go far enough he'll grab them to throw them farther

- no sense of self-preservation = not afraid of anything. curiosity > fear

9 Months Old

(super late post, sorry! life keeps us pretty busy)

Ok so I'm starting to feel a little relieved that the height and weight stats didn't change much from last time. I have thus far purchased a completely new wardrobe every 6 weeks because you grow so quickly, but not this time! We get to keep you in 18 month clothing, yay!

- 26.8 pounds (98th percentile)
- 30.75 inches long (100th percentile)
- 48 cm head circumference (100th percentile)
- ridiculous changes in sleep patterns,has decided  there's no time for naps no matter how tired
- impressive barrel rolls in sleep which result in crazy sleep positions
- but mostly likes to sleep on right side cuddling a blanket (just like mom!)
- takes better selfies than the average teenage girl
- still no teeth or signs of teeth...

- can almost get up out of his bathtub (oh no)
- says "mamamamamama" mostly when he's hungry
- still can't crawl :( but gets around the room pretty well spinning in circles and rolling over
- figured out how to get around in a walker
- still has protein sensitivity
- learned how to suck baby food out of the food pouches
- loves grabbing Venom by the sides of his face and biting his nose
- has almost got the hang of waving goodbye
- favorite "toys": dad's keys, nasal aspirator, TV remotes, spoons, nail clippers, water bottles, phone chargers, plastic bags, and anything with the potential danger to poke his eye out or suffocate him.
- least favorite toys: literally EVERY BABY TOY we have ever purchased.

8 Months

- 100th percentile for height, weight, head circumference 

- 26.2 pounds 

- 27 inches long 

- says "momma" but it usually means he is hungry or frustrated (and usually yells it)

- still no teeth or signs of teeth! 

- loves loves looooves Daddy

- gets crazy excited whenever Venom comes close

- can't crawl yet :( too heavy maybe?

- moves like crazy in his sleep

- favorite toys: spoons, tv remotes, and mom's measuring tape

- starting to like story time 

- hates getting strapped into his car seat 

- likes Gerber snacks

- really likes salted pretzels 

- receives lots of compliments on being a good baby when he's shopping with mom 

- still has eczema & protein allergy

- not a fan of sippy cups

- wonderful personality: not much upsets him besides the lack of food

7 Months Old

- 24.2 pounds (99.5 percentile)
- 29 inches long (97.5 percentile)
- 19.5 inches head circumference (100 percentile)
- wears 12-18 month clothes
- sits up perfectly and launches himself at things that look interesting (and sometimes gets hurt)
- switched to a "big boy" car seat
- loves playing peek-a-boo
- giggles at the word "momma"
- super ticklish
- still hates tummy time
- still has protein allergy & eczema
- no longer needs to be swaddled to fall asleep (finally!)
- kicks like crazy when he can't get comfortable
- still no teeth but very drooly
- adores all grandparents & Uncle Kaleb