1 Year Old

We took Owen to the doctor today for his well baby visit, and he weighed in at 20 lbs. 4 oz (15%) and 29 in (25%) and head circumference at 18 3/4 (80 %). So, he is a little guy with a big head! You should see how much this boy eats and the size of his belly: you wouldn't believe he was only bigger than 15-25% of babies his age. We got the go ahead to turn the car seat around, but I err on the cautious side (I have read several studies that say rear facing is best until 30 lbs) and will probably wait until his legs are out of room back there. He doesn't mind; he likes playing with Micah. Matt and I have seen them hold hands back there and it makes us so happy! The doctor says that Owen is on track developmentally and looks very healthy. He is on the quiet side, but we have heard him speak several words including: mama, dada, mi (micah), yaya (Ellie, our dog) ni-ni (night night and no no, you have to use context), bi (bite), bre (bread, also all food), bada (banana), and duh (duck). He loves to dance, can wave, do his shape sorter, stack his nesting cups, and do sign language for more, please, and all done. He loves to be part of the family. He always wants to be doing what we are doing, especially Micah; but he has a side of him that will play independently too. He is still very content, unless he is in teeth pain. His poor gums are still so swollen. We thought we had gotten somewhere last night as a friend and I witnessed a huge piece of tooth that had pierced his gums. Just as we were talking about how much relief he would soon feel, we could no longer find the sliver in his bright red gums. I hope he will soon have relief from this.
He did get all his shots today after the doctor reassured us that this is what is best for our child. It is hard for me to see so much vaccine put into such a little boy. I ask myself is Owen really going to get hepatitis, or die from chickenpox? The doctor said he witnessed a child die from chickenpox, and I cannot argue with that. As parents, we have to do what we think is best for our children, and trust that the Lord will answer our prayers to keep them safe and healthy. I could go on a tangent the previous statement, but I will save it for a later post.
Owen's birthday party was a success. Our boys are very introverted, and prefer small crowds, so we invited immediate family. We served a light lunch of honey pecan chicken salad on cranberry walnut bread, penne pasta salad with new york strip and arugula, and assorted fruit. I ordered his big cake from a bakery for the adults. It was a two layer yellow cake with sliced strawberries and whipped cream icing, and it was fabulous. Owen is allergic to milk and eggs, so I searched and searched for a cake without these ingredients. I found one, and made him his own personal cake with grape juice, wheat flour, wheat germ, margarine, and baking powder. He loved it. He had a similar reaction as Micah to his first cake: "am I allowed to make a big mess, and I don't know if I want this sticky stuff all over me. Help Mama, please!" He received many fun gifts including a bubble lawn mower, a tractor, some bubbles, and new shoes. Owen loves shoes. After seeing some pictures of Dylan in her Toms shoes, we had to get some for Owen; he didn't want to take them off. He also got some Umi shoes, which will hopefully be easy for him to walk in. On his actual birthday, we gave him his new car. It has a seat belt and a parent steering wheel. He loved Micah's tricycle, but couldn't ride it because he was too small. Today, we took them for a walk with their bikes, and Owen was so happy to be just like his big brother. Micah gave him a few high fives as he sped past! I could go on and on about our precious boy. We love him so much and have bitter sweet feelings about him growing up. I am excited to see him running around the yard this summer, but I still want my sweet baby too.