twelve months

The one year old, he cracks me up right now. He with his chubby little belly and the dimples on his knees and how he stumbles around a la Frankenstein trying so hard to put together the coordination to run in order to keep up with Renee. 

I adore how looks up me and grins and then starts clapping his chunky little hands when I go in to his room to get him in the morning. It makes me feel so special that he’s so happy to see me. He’s started whining and pointing at the door if I make a move like I’m going to try to rock him back to sleep. He’s ready to start his day at five o’clock in the ever-loving morning and he’s not afraid to make that known, thank-you-very-much.

He knows what he wants and he’s figuring out how to use his tools to make those wants a reality. He’s signing a bit now, especially MORE as it pertains to requesting more waffles. The kid likes waffles like I like m&ms. He actually went so far as to start crying loudly the other morning when I put Cheerios on his tray. He arched his back and carried on and I was all like “What is UP with you? It’s too early for this shit” and Ski looked at me and said, “I think he wants a waffle.” And sure enough, I made him one, cut it up and put it on his tray and he grinned and started clapping. Then, he gobbled the entire thing up in about 10 seconds and started signing for MORE. He doesn’t touch his meat or vegetables, eating only fruit and carbs of any sort.

He’s also asserting himself with his big sister and the look on her face when he pushes back or rips a toy back out of her hands when she takes it from him is priceless. I think he only weighs a few pounds less than her at this point and he’s ready to fight back. She’s had it coming for a while.

He can say three words: UH OH! (in reference to everything he drops on the floor from his highchair), KITTY (his whole face lights up and he chases them around so proud that he can finally say their name) and HI (which he says to everyone). I think he's trying to say other things and jabbers on and on in his own little language. I imagine one day here soon it will all turn in to words and that will be it. Between he and Renee never shutting up, I'm assuming I'll be well into my 30s before I get enough peace and quiet that I can form a rational thought.

We're up to seven teeth now and he let us know all about how bad it hurt every time one of them came in. He spent much of this month whining and chomping on his nuk and drooling all over his clothes. I think he would rather not get anymore teeth and I think I could live with a seven-toother forever if it meant I wouldn't have to see him in anymore pain.
He still gets lazy and crawls once in a while and I love how he puts his head down like he's on a mission to go as fast as he possibly can.

He's climbing furniture and is still obsessed with wires. I am tired of the wires. He will throw and chase a ball around on the floor for 15 minutes at a time somedays, though, and it is seriously the cutest thing ever. His face is so full of determination like he's going to make the best throw and right after he lets the ball go, he takes off as fast as he can to get it.

He’s a charmer, my son. The polar opposite of his sister who glared at any stranger that had the audacity to look at her, Cameron smiles and carries on. It is quite a change of pace for me to have a kid that people actually talk about how sweet and cute they are. With Renee, it was usually along the lines of “She sure is particular” or “She sure likes her mommy.” With Cam, it’s more like “OHMYGOD he’s so sweet and cute and funny” and I’m all like “Why don’t you come over tomorrow morning at 4:45AM and you can let me know then how cute you think he is.” He’s at that golden age where he likes to go out for dinner and flirt with waitresses and watch people. The other night he stalked one of the waitresses at the Brewhouse for the ENTIRE time we were there. Apparently he likes blondes.

Comments

[Gretchen]

Cute pictures! Someday Cameraon will learn that brunettes are more fun! Ha!

[Nicole]

He is just so sweet! I can't believe that it has been a year. Cameron reminds me so much of Cooper at that age - particularly the waking up at the crack of dawn part. I love that he and Renee are really starting to develop their relationship - as hard as having two babies so close together can be, seeing them really bond and brother and sister makes it worth it.