Steps

So this little boy of mine is going to be 1 year old at the end of this month. Of course, he looks closer to two years old, but that is simply genetics. The poor little guy is probably always going to look a little older than the rest all his life. I passed on this gene, and he will most likely be shaving by the time he is 4th grade. Sorry, E. All this brings tears to my eyes. It’s happening, as they all say, “really, really fast.”

The news is he is taking steps! Not perfect walking steps yet. They are Frankenstein-like attempts that usually end in the yogic downward dog position. He takes 3 steps here and 4 there. Last weekend at his friend’s Geno’s first birthday, he took 7. Yep, seven. It was in the middle of the room and everyone clapped. Jess had tears in her eyes. I had my hand on my forehead in great O’Hara fashion.

He IS growing so quickly, and with every new physical and mental development, the house changes too. The bookcases are L-bracketed into the wall, and there is a special shelf for his books and toys. Pillows surround unusable furniture, and cabinet doors have been taken off to expose yet more toys. A gate has been installed in the kitchen and, well, the cat has learned to run for his life.

We read books every night, and his favorite is Todd Parr’s Family Book. Jess says he always turns back to this page of a lady with big, purple hair. She thinks he thinks it’s me.

A big party is planned on the 23rd. Lots of friends and a few smatterings of family. But mostly friends posing as his aunts and uncles. We will have lots of fun!