365 Days with You: Our First Year in Review
Note: This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase using one of the links in this post, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, Thanks for your support!Dear Baby Girl,This past year has been the longest, hardest, most emotional, most hilarious, best year of my life. I started to write one letter to you. Then I realized we had a lot to talk about and a lot to remember from our first year. This will be one of many letters (1, 2, 3 coming soon). I sure hope you read them one day.
People told me the first year would be tough. The sleep deprivation, the crying, the teething, the diapers – it wasn’t pretty for sure. But Baby Girl, we had a fabulous time. I never could get that whole baby album with firsts and highlights together, so I’ve captured our first year here. It was a whirlwind and forever at the same time, but mostly it was perfect. Perfectly you, perfectly us, perfectly our family. There were ups and downs, we experienced change and broken records, and, mostly, we survived and thrived. I’ll always treasure this year, Baby Girl, because, of course, we got to meet you, but also because it was the year that your daddy and I became stronger than ever – together and individually. We formed our forever bond as a family, and I can’t wait to see what comes next for us all.
April
You joined us on March 30th (your birth and hospital story is here!), but on April 1st, we got to come home! We stopped at the bagel shop on the way home, so mommy could get a much-missed smoked salmon bagel. Mama and Daddy spent a LOT of time watching the Masters, the NCAA Tournament, and movies while you slept in the Rock ‘n’ Play (our first three month must have!). In fact, we went for our first family walk when you were just 5 days old, and we told the neighbors across the street that it “wasn’t so bad!” and “you really slept a lot!” You must have heard us talking because pretty much from that point on, we spent the next two months trying to PLEASE get you to sleep for more than 43 minutes at a time. You loved to eat, loved to be held, and LOVED going outside.You even got to meet your extended family! Granny and Arvey came to visit with Mimi and Pops. Grandpa Tanner and Mawmaw came to meet you too. Then Mama’s whole extended family came to meet you for Easter. You let everyone hold you and stare at you and love on you – and you even slept through brunch!
May
We celebrated our first Mother’s Day together, our first roadtrip to Mimi’s, and our first lunch with Daddy downtown. It was so fun to experience so many firsts all over again with you. True to your Houston roots, you celebrated Cinco De Mayo at Irma’s. We spent lots of time cuddling, nursing, and watching Netflix.
June
This was about the time we started “looking back” (all two months of it) and realizing how much you were changing every day. By June, you were off to visit Mama’s original “babies” at their high school graduation, and you went to visit Grandma, Grandpa, and Aunt Sam. We learned that taking a baby out of town is not for the faint of heart or those with small cars because you came with LOTS OF STUFF. And you still didn’t sleep. But on June 9 (yes, I checked Instagram), you slept for 11 hours straight thanks to our bestie the Merlin and Mama just about cried. We also got your first real smiles this month and that DEFINITELY made me cry.
July
We went on our first friends trip with the Vons for the 4th of July and there were SO many firsts! First time in the pool, first time playing with another baby, and first big family road trip (lots of those to come, Baby Girl, your daddy loves a road trip). You also started daycare in July the week before I went back to work. It is possible that I called every single hour the first day you were there and still picked you up at 2 pm. It was an adjustment to learn to nap around other kids, especially after Mama wasted spent so much time getting a naptime routine down with a dark room and white noise. Silly mama. You sleep when other kids are screaming now, so whatever.At the end of July, Mama, Daddy, Mimi, and Pops took you to Costa Rica, which was the silliest thing we did as new parents. A 4-month-old at a foreign beach? “Why not?” we thought! “She’ll be fine!” we said. Well, you were fine. You did start to like the pool, but you weren’t quite ready for plane travel, especially since we didn’t know about that double ear infection at the time. You pretty much chilled in your stroller while we walked around worried that you might be too hot, hated the Costa Rican car seat, and just wanted to nurse with a mama who just wanted a beer on the beach ha. That trip might have been for mom and dad, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything – live and learn!
August
4 months! You started purees – avocado and sweet potatoes were clear winners. Peas and carrots left something to be desired. Your reactions and facial expressions seemed to become clearer every day. To say you were opinionated was (and still is) an understatement.On August 25th, Hurricane Harvey tore through Houston with a vengeance and a LOT of rain. Our backyard turned into a lake, and the bayou that’s 3 blocks and a park away was suddenly only one block away. We spent a couple days flooded into our house, then a couple days flooded into the neighborhood. I don’t think you left the house for two weeks by the time it was all said and done. Not your favorite. We had the news on repeat as we watched your hometown struggle quite literally to keep its head above water. We held you extra tight as we watched families evacuate from their rooftops and saw Houston mamas wading through waist-high water with their own babies. It was one of those times that makes you stop and acknowledge the incredible physical, mental, and emotional weight of parenthood. I couldn’t begin to imagine the will and might of the families who put on brave faces for their children and got them to safety, and yet, I could. I knew then that I would be strong enough to do whatever it took to protect you, Baby Girl, and there would be no fear, no second guessing, and no questions when it came to your safety. You don’t have to, you can’t, prepare for a disaster like Hurricane Harvey, but you can know what you’re willing to risk and where your priorities lie. And you’re number one, kiddo.
September
We finally started to get into a groove in September. We had routine, we went out for breakfast (at Slowpokes!) and lunches (at Liberty Kitchen!), we tried new foods, and we spent a lot of time hanging out with you on the living room floor. You LOVED going out of the house – seriously best table guest ever. You were mesmerized with all the action around you and usually just hung out the whole time we ate! Unfortunately, we also spent a lot of time treating your ear infections and ultimately decided you needed to get ear tubes STAT. It was the fastest 7-minute surgery that had mama all worried about nothing! You were such a trooper and we had lots of extra cuddles to make up for it.
October
In October, you watched lots of Aggie football games from home, went to your first brewery (as any good Houston baby does), and got a swing in the backyard. You “went” as a bunny for Halloween in a costume Daddy picked out. We didn’t really go anywhere of course, but we did dress you up for a picture, and you even cracked a smile for us.
November
November was more change and more growing. I honestly couldn’t believe you were more than half a year old. The fall was when we really hit our stride as a family. We could… almost… plan for things without worrying about messing up a schedule. We knew what you liked (for that day at least), and you LOVED being silly with Mama, Daddy, Yogi, and Ziggy.Mama and Daddy even went for their first parents only trip to Sedona before Thanksgiving. You stayed with Mimi and clung to her like a lifeline. When you picked us up from the airport, you were even kind of confused that we were back! Eventually you realized we were mom and dad and came around again. For Thanksgiving, we visited all the grandparents! Most of your Prosper, TX Thanksgiving was spent on Grandma and Grandpa’s living room floor with an audience staring at you. So, surely you won’t be spoiled and expect to always be the center of attention, right??
December
It snowed in Houston! Your first snow! Daddy was out of town, but Mama woke you up and took you outside in your jacket and pajamas to snap a picture in the snow thinking that it might be the only one you saw in your childhood! Little did we know, it would snow again a couple months later. You thought the snow was funny and then immediately wanted to be picked up, which is fair because the dogs were going NUTS around you and threatening to knock you down.Christmas was a whirlwind of family visits, wrapping paper, holiday jammies, and LOTS of toys. You are one lucky kid, Baby Girl. Everyone was so excited to see you open the presents you had no idea what to do with. I can’t even imagine next year’s Christmas, but I know you’re going to love it.
January
New year, same baby! Except you were actually never the same. You learned to crawl this month and have been on the move ever since. Your favorite thing is to crawl over to Yogi and Ziggy. Yogi usually licks you, and Ziggy usually runs away, but you never quit. I’m pretty sure persistence will be one of your strengths, my love.
February
You got lots of love at your Valentine’s Day party at school, and we celebrated Daddy’s birthday with a trip to Angel Fire, New Mexico. Let’s just say that every trip has been a learning experience. Remember how I said earlier that your daddy likes road trips? Well we decided to make this 14-hour road trip instead of a flight at the last minute because you got sick. It was a roller coaster for sure, but we loved experiencing the ups and downs as a family. Don’t believe me? That’s ok. One day you will. There’s just something about “surviving” the tough times that gives you memories to look back on and laugh about.Needless to say, we made it to New Mexico, we had a BLAST showing you all about snow, fireplaces, and fr-amily dinners. You even went to ski school daycare one day, so Daddy could try and teach Mama to ski again. That was slightly less successful than the rest of the trip, but I’m pretty sure he’s not going to give up on me. Soon, you’ll be the one taking me down the bunny slope!
March
This month you learned to walk (at Grandma and Grandpa’s house!), started eating mostly real finger food, and started talking! It’s like you just woke up one day and decided to be a big kid. Honestly, I’m not sure I’m ready. You say “mama”, “dada”, “boo” for book, and “gggggg” for Yogi and Ziiggy. Your teetering steps made my mama heart grow about six sizes. And your laugh… oh my goodness your laugh. No one can make you laugh like Daddy and Yogi. For Easter weekend, we celebrated your birthday in the park with donuts, bubbles, family, and a cake!You are so loved, Baby Girl. I know we were doing something before you came into our lives, but I’m honestly not sure I can remember what. You made me your mama 365 days ago, and I am so, so grateful for this first year.