June 30th ... the difference a year makes

I was organizing some photos on my computer the other day, and was suddenly struck by the fact of how ALL of my boys have grown in the last year. Especially Matthias, of course. The babies change so much their first year of life that is incredible.

One year ago, we were getting smiles out of our two month old: learning about his personality, still suffering from acute sleep deprivation, staying indoors more than we wanted that summer just because of the crazy heat, holding him in our lap, helping older brothers hold him in our lap. Adjusting to life with three kids.

June 30, 2012

And now??? This little 14 month old has a mind of his own! He is practically running now, off after his brothers, after a ball, away from his Mama when she is trying to change his diaper ... you get the picture! He is laughing and giggling, showing off his eight little teeth. Unfortunately, he seems to be exhibiting really picky eating habits, so we're working our darndest on that, due to the fact we know the painful life of picky eating from Jonah. He sleeps through the night, wanting his blanky in one arm, his little stuffed sock monkey from Grandma in the other, a pacifier in his mouth, and five other beanie babies that he has adopted to be his own in his crib. He wakes happy, and waves hello the moment he sees his big brothers when he is carried out of his room in the morning.

He is not afraid of water. We took him in our splash pool last night, and the child fell over into the water multiple times, came up sputtering - on his own! - and just laughed. I got completely soaked in the process of attempting to keep him from drowning = ) He is a true Brooks and would rather be outside, than inside, any time, any day, and any weather!

He doesn't say a ton of words yet ... but knows exactly what we are saying to him. It will come in time, I am not worried. The basics are there, and he follows our instructions fairly consistently.

He loves to dance, clap his hands, and hum the "Elmo Song" from the Elmo Sing-a-long DVD that Aunt Hannah had given to Jonah when he was little. It has passed on from brother to brother. He picks up Elmo board books and starting humming the little "la la la la" tune, and then looks around to find someone to sing it with him. He loves praise time at church and lifts his sweet chubby hands in the air ...

We love our little guy, although the last year has FLOWN by.