A year of memories...

Dear Son,
You are almost nearly a year old. It seems like yesterday that you were a tiny 8lbs and 21inches plopped into my arms from your dad's not content until you wiggled your little arms free from your swaddling. You never did like to be swaddled and as an infant you could not stand a hat, although you certainly did enjoy this one, and so did many of your adoring fans.
You crushed records in your first year of life, my son. You rolled over, then again, and then the other way in record breaking fashions. Your little legs tried to walk ever since you would move them in my womb. You walked so early at 9 months and 2 days old, being stubborn like your parents mom you just had to wait those extra two days, robbing your parents of the ability to brag that you walked at eight months. hehe. You got the hang of it pretty quickly and there is no stopping you now.
You slowly developed your vocabulary with sign language and with verbal language. To date in sign you know: milk, more, all done and we are very close to "eat" as well. In the verbal department you know: dada, kitty, cat, and mama - although you have yet to say mama to me. We gave you a long list of nicknames over this last year and have kept track of them here. We tried to provide you with loving understanding justification as to why but for the most part you're just Baby Bear, or Bear as you continue to lose all the baby and turn into quite the little man.
Over the last year you've had a few bonks and illnesses; but you were a trooper through it all. When you're sad or teething, you are still the bravest little guy we know. You absolutely love to play in any water, the color orange, Nemo and no one can keep you away from your kitties. You do a dance when you eat grapes and you love to dance to music. You like to wave to people and you give Pop Pop hugs. You recongize people in pictures and smile at them as if they can see you. You are the joy of my life and I cannot believe that a full year has almost come and gone.
Your dada and I love you very much. Please let this next year go by very slowly. Mommy can't handle too much speed.
All my love,
Your Mommy