Month 12

Happy 12 Months to my Terrific Toddler!!

Bryce and his buddy Madigan!

Well as usual, I’m late updating my blog.  It seems like I used to have a lot more free time.  Although, if you had asked me that months ago I would have disagreed.  Oh the days of multiple naps…where have you gone??  :)  By the way, wasn’t I told that a magic switch would flip at a year and Bryce would suddenly be sleeping more?  I suppose I should be thankful that continued broken sleep is the worst of my problems!!

Today is my last official Friday off before I return to work on Monday.  I look forward to getting back to my “old” life but dread it at the same time.  I’ve never been good with change and am a worrier by nature.  Thinking about the logistics of making this “new” life work with my shift structure makes me very anxious!  Breathe….   How do Mother’s do this??  I remember when I returned to work after getting a puppy!!  I was so worried.  I even hired a pet sitter to come!!!  It’s a million times worse with a child!  Having to place my trust in a stranger to care for the most important little person in my world!?  In fact I start to cry when I think of Bryce waking from his nap at daycare in a strange house, with a strange lady!  Hope he doesn’t feel abandoned!!!  Sniff sniff  :(

"Did someone say there was cake?"

 On to a happier topic, we celebrated Bryce’s first Birthday in December.  It was a perfect day and a wonderful celebration that we shared with his Great Grandma Steele.  We had surprise family guests who joined us that day, and even Santa showed up to deliver special Birthday greetings.  I made Bryce his very own “Smash cake”.  (A miniature cake of his very own to demolish and/or eat).  I had never heard of such a thing until recently.  In my day, you would present the one and only cake to the child for them to drool/sneeze/poke/blow out the candles on…and then we would eat it?! :s  Much more sanitary this way!! :) I was hoping he would dig into the cake a little more.  Probably my fault as it was still partially frozen!!  He did however take an interest in the piece of cake on his Great Grandma's plate!!

Christmas was also a fun celebration.  Bryce had a lot of practice with the concept of unwrapping from his Birthday...but still preferred to play with the boxes and tissue paper.  Had I known that, we could have all saved a lot of money by just wrapping a box of tissue paper!? :s  My Brother-in-law generously gave Bryce a deer hide, something that Bryce took great joy in playing with at a previous visit.  Are we doing unseen damage by sitting my child on the pelt of a skinned animal "saying play with the dead deer"!? lol When he gets older, he'll think we've done something horrible to Rudolph!!  

I’m happy to report that Bryce is walking on his own.  He still prefers the security of his “walker” as he can move faster and more confidently.  (Which is great for tormenting the dog)  But he also can walk unassisted for short periods of time.  Usually his top heavy self gets ahead of his slower moving bottom which results in a spill.  His poor wee head has definitely been “bedazzled” by an assortment of bruises. New ugly blue ones on top of old faded yellow ones.  Hockey helmet anyone???  Lol

He is also sporting 4 new molars.  They are gigantic!!  When I first caught a glimpse, I thought he had paper or gum in his mouth!! Thank goodness we don’t remember the discomfort of the teething process.  With his new chompers, he powers through just about anything I give him to eat.  I should be grateful that I do not have a picky eater!  (Just an insomniac!!)   I’ve been doing a lot of “muffin tin” cooking.  They have fabulous recipes on the internet that make a perfect portion size for a toddler.  All kinds of ingenious ways to make mini lasagnas, meatloaf, pot pies, quiche….all conveniently freezable! 

Well I think this will be my last Baby Bean blog entry.  It's been a magical, terrifying, awesome, tearful, joyful adventure that I never-ever thought I would have!  (Which made it all the more special)  Thanks for sharing this journey with me, and motivating me to document "The life of Bryce" from his creation (ok not exactly his creation!!!) but from his very beginning when he was only 8 weeks gestation and a mere 7mm. You've heard his first heartbeat with me, you've seen his first baby sonograms, you've watched my belly inflate to ginormous proportions, read the tale of his birth, watched as he reached his monthly milestones, and now helped us to celebrate his very 1st Birthday.  Thank you for sharing this most incredible time in my life!! xo