Mason is 1 year old!

Dear Mason,

December 5 was your first birthday! Happy Birthday! Though I love to celebrate each of your milestones (big AND small), I do feel a little sadness when each one comes along. You’re not considered an infant anymore, although the term “toddler” would require you to toddle - which you don’t do, yet – but I guess I can’t call you a baby anymore. However, I have a feeling I will still think of you as my baby for a long time.

I was sad when you got your first tooth, because I knew it was the end of my gummy grins from you…but then excited for you because your food options would only grow. You now have all 8 front teeth, 4 molars (one on each side, top and bottom), and your upper canine teeth are poking through. This means you can chew all sorts of things, and you’re learning to take bites (instead of stuffing large pieces of food in your mouth!).

Many milestones that you experience bring me so much joy! You’ve recently figured out how to tilt a bottle or sippy cup upwards to drink, without falling backwards yourself  You like to try to use a fork, and are even successful sometimes. Daddy and I were a little worried that you weren’t walking yet, since your big brother was fully “toddling” at 1 year and your left foot turns outward a bit. BUT, last night, you were standing next to a small box of toys and you pulled a toy out and held it in both hands while you were still standing up! You stood for several more seconds by yourself before you must have realized what you were doing, but then you slowly sat down on the floor. You can also push a toy around the house and walk behind it, so I think you’ll walk soon!

You can say “car” (you say “caah”), and you think anything with wheels is a car. You can also say “vroom-vroom” (you say “muuhmm muuhmm”). You can say “bye” and “ball” and “uh-oh” (you actually say “uh-ah”).You can understand a lot of words, too: clap, ball, milk, up, arms up, arms down, snack, hi, bye-bye, wave, stand up, sit down, bathtime, just to name a few!

At your 1-year check-up (which was actually on December 17), you weighed 26 lbs 4 oz., were 31 inches tall/long, and were in the 90th percentile for both height and weight.

We are looking forward to this Christmas with you and Tyler! We can’t wait to watch you experience the Hill Family Tacky Lights Tour, making a gingerbread house, sitting on Santa’s lap, and watching you open Christmas presents!

We love you so much and look forward to helping you learn how to walk, talk, and so much more!

Love, always,
Mommy