where'd my baby go?

We have officially entered the final month of Noah being a baby baby. After this, it's on to toddler-hood. I would just like to know why those 9 months of pregnancy seemed to draaaag... and this first year with my baby has flown by?! It's not fair.

I know that once he hits the big 1st birthday, he's not going to morph into a teenager, but it feels like I'm losing my teeny little guy! He's looking more and more like a little kid everyday.
But the last 11 months have seriously been the best, most exhausting months of my life. I wouldn't trade them for anything.

So here goes...

11 Facts About Noah:

1. He still isn't crawling.

We're pretty sure he's going to skip this phase. He's still spinning around on his rear end some, but he mostly does a crawl-like stance, then spins around on his hands and knees. He also scoots on his rear end a little, like his daddy did when he was a baby. But he actually prefers to stand now. Nothing really interests him enough to pull up. Nothing except me. He'll hold onto my hands/head/shoulder and pull up that way.

 

2. He's the happiest baby I've ever seen.

I've seriously never seen a baby this happy before. Ever since he hit his 2-month mark (where he finally stopped screaming 24/7), he's been spending the majority of his days with a big grin. I hope he never, ever loses this joy. It's infectious, and it makes everyone around him smile too.

3. He's a chick magnet.

Everywhere we go, the ladies flock to see him, most of them begging to squeeze his little chubby legs.

The African American ladies all want to know how I got my baby so big.

My favorite quote so far: "Oh, he's juicy!"

We get stopped in the mall, Target, at the park, baseball games... and he's figured out that all they want is a big, toothy smile. He's also started wrinkling his nose when he smiles for an added touch. He's a little flirt.

4. He's a Mama's boy.

He loves his daddy, but he's incredibly clingy to me right now. Fortunately, Brad doesn't get insulted or hurt feelings. He actually loves it that Noah wants/needs me this much. He doesn't cry if someone else holds him or plays with him. He'll go to almost anyone. But after a few minutes, he's reaching for mommy again. It makes my heart melt.

5. He thinks Daddy is fun.

Brad is the fun one. He enjoys being silly with me too, but once he sees Brad, it's playtime. He squeals and kicks and flaps his arms, wanting so badly for Brad to scoop him up and play. It's the cutest thing I've ever seen. Right now, their favorite game to play together is golf. Brad will putt golf balls towards him. Noah catches them, and then attempts to throw them back. But it looks more like a "drop" than a "throw". Still, he thinks it's so fun. I think it's so cute how he keeps looking more and more like Brad everyday.

6. He LOVES to read.

He loves those Golden Books. He prefers old-fashioned drawings and characters rather than the bubbly, cartoony ones. He's a fan of the classics. His favorite books include Goodnight Moon, The Boy with a Drum, The Animals of Farmer Jones, Katie the Kitten, The Three Little Kittens, and My First Counting Book. He also thinks the Queen of Sheba's name is funny.

We've tried reading him other more modern books, but he has little patience for them. He reaches around them and grabs the classic ones instead.

At first, we thought he just liked the stories... which he does. But it turns out, he's a fan of words.

While I get him dressed after a bath, he holds the lotion bottle and stares at the words. He'll turn it around and around, as if he's reading the ingredients very carefully. He does this with every item with words on it.

7. He likes Curious George and Elmo.

I know, I know. He's not supposed to watch TV. And he doesn't. But every now and then, I'll turn it on if these two shows are on. All the other shows, he gets bored with. But Curious George and Elmo made the cut. He also loves Michelle Duggar's voice. Every time she talks, he listens intently. She has that good teacher's voice that makes kids want to listen. He also likes Paula Deen. lol. He's a boy after my own heart.

8. He has an analytical mind.

Or something like that. Maybe every baby goes through this. But somehow, our kid has recorded Curious George without us knowing. Also IndyCar racing and America's Funniest Home Videos. He knows the remote works the TV. He holds it, presses buttons, and looks at the TV to see if any of the buttons made it change. He also loves to flip light switches, play with cell phones, and turn the shower on in the bathtub.

9. He still eats like a horse.

He's slowing down on the chubbiness and definitely seems to be getting taller, but he still eats alot. I'm still making his baby food, but it feels like he's going through it a whole lot faster all of a sudden.

10. He's funny about texture.

When it comes to material, the softer the better. In order to fall asleep at night, he holds a really soft blanket next to his cheek. He's also particular with food texture. He'll eat finger foods if I put it in his mouth, but he makes a funny face. He doesn't like Cheerios as much, because they're too hard. He prefers soft bread. However, he did spoon feed himself today (with my help... I didn't want him gagging himself) for the first time. If I put finger foods on his tray, though, he just plays with it and throws it in the floor.

11. He's the best job I've ever had.

We went and visited the ladies I used to work with today. They moved locations and opened up a new store, so I went to see it. I sat and caught up with everyone, and while I miss them all, I don't for one second regret not going back. I've gotten to soak up every second of my baby's first year, and I've loved it. I've been tired, cranky, sleep-deprived, and had trouble dealing with the leftover baby weight... but I've never regretted a second of it. He's made my world so much happier, full of life, and peaceful. He's so precious.

To celebrate today, we took him for a wagon ride with the pups tonight. He loves the dogs so much. He thinks they're so funny. He squealed and giggled and talked while the dogs occasionally kissed him and went on their way. I love my little family. These boys mean the world to me.