One Year

Dear Cormac Lain,
You are one year old. What a year it has been! To say that I have loved watching you grow and change would be an understatement. We've had our tough times but you have brought the most joy to me this past year. I'm laughing even as I write this because this is about the fifth time I have sat down at the computer to write this post...three months late. The irony of it all is that I am so busy LIVING life with you to sit down and write about it. And you know what? That's ok with me. I hope that one day you will love to look back and read about your life when you were a baby...so here's a little snapshot into your life as a one year old.

Things you LOVE:
-Moving! You are walking everywhere. This started right around 13 months. You had been cruising (holding onto the furniture) for quite sometime and then one day you took a few steps. The next day you took a few more and then you were unstoppable. Now at a little over 14 months, I can tell that you want to RUN but sometimes your legs and your brain aren't quite in sync. You get going really fast but then you fall down. Don't worry...you get right back up and keep going.

-Independence. You are already wanting to do things by yourself. You don't like to hold my hand when we're walking in the parking lot but we're working on that. You like to feed yourself and are getting really good at eating with a fork! It's funny because we started clapping and cheering for you after every bite and sometimes you will cheer for yourself after you put a bite in your mouth with the fork. It's just hilarious.

-Screens. I don't super love this one...but you are kind of obsessed with any screen, anywhere. We watch some t.v. here at home, mostly the Today show, Daniel Tiger, and Curious George. But anytime someone has out their iphone or ipad you are OBSESSED. You want to take over it and play. This makes it especially hard to take a picture of you lately because you just want to grab the phone...you little turkey.

-Pillow Mountain. I think Daddy might have started this and now we do it every.single.day. We take all the pillows off of the couch and cover them with blankets to make a "pillow mountain". You will launch yourself onto it and just laugh and laugh. I usually tickle you when you do this and you have kind of come to expect it so sometimes if I don't tickle you right away, you'll just lay there waiting like, "umm Mom? Are you gonna come tickle me or what?" Haha. I love to tickle you because it is just the purest joy there is. There is no sound quite like your sweet belly laugh. 

-Books!! After we stopped giving you a bottle at bedtime we started reading more books to help you be still and calm before bed. You love to read your books all day long. Sometimes you will go in your room, pull the cushion off the rocker, and just sit there and "read". You are even getting better at turning the books right side up. You love Pat they Bunny, The Going to Bed Book, Thank You God and Just Helping My Dad. We've been working on saying "thank you" and Daddy taught you to say it when we're reading Thank You God. You don't do it all the time but you do it sometimes and we think that's pretty cool.

Things you DON'T LOVE:
-Being told "no". Bless your little heart. This is so hard for you. You get so upset when you can't do something you want to do, like take the night light out of the socket and put your finger there (I know, mean mom). You also really want to undo those little fasteners that keep your diaper on and you really don't like it when I tell you not to un-do them.

-Waiting. Sometimes I just have to laugh when 5pm rolls around. You are beginning to get hungry for your supper, Bear is hungry for his supper and sometimes both of you make it very hard to cook dinner! Bear stays under my feet and stares me down, while you pull on my leg, cry, throw yourself on the floor. It's quite a circus sometimes!

Cormac Lain,
You are a joy to my heart. I wish there was a word that meant joy times one hundred because that's what you are. You make me laugh every single day and I am so thankful I get to be your mama. This has certainly been a year of growing for both of us. You have taught me so much and really the Lord has taught me so much through you. It was hard at the beginning, being so tired and feeling so helpless not always knowing what to do. There are still times we don't know what to do but we are in a great rhythm now proving once again that all seasons do pass. I absolutely love this season we are in. You are sweet, gentle, funny, loving, curious...Of course we have bad days, and you get cranky sometimes. But I do too. We started saying prayers before bedtime and it's SO sweet watching you, watch us, pray. You get very still and quiet like you aren't quite sure what's going on. I'm looking forward to hearing your prayers. We pray every night that you would grow up to be a man who loves Jesus with his whole heart and that is my prayer for you sweet son. That you would know and follow hard after Him. You are the joy to my life and we love you more than words could ever say.
Love,
Mama and Daddy

nine months!

Age: nine months!
Stats: 22lbs (85th %ile)
Clothes:  You are wearing all 9-12 month clothes now. And lucky for you, you have a bunch of cute new outfits to wear now : ) Unfortunately, that belly of yours is a little big and some of your pants are too tight which just makes us laugh! And, just the other day, I went through all your clothes and once again boxed up the clothes that are now too small. It's so bittersweet.
Favorite Activities:  You are MOVING EVERYWHERE. I wouldn't quite call it a full  on crawl but you have  your own hybrid version of crawling that is somewhere between and army crawl/scooting yourself with your toes/rolling. A few days ago I went into the kitchen and left you sitting up by the chair. It had only been about two minutes when I heard you getting into the fireplace. You better believe I came running! You also love to EAT. You have started eating finger foods at breakfast and dinner and I'm pretty sure you would keep eating if we kept supplying the food. So far you like: pears, oranges, bananas, peas, carrots, avocado, chicken...and the list goes on! This has made eating out with you much more fun. We just bring along your finger foods and you can eat while we eat. We went to Pei Wei on Valentines Day for our family date and you loved watching everyone. It kept you quite entertained!
Least Favorite Activities: It is pretty much torture anytime I: put your clothes on, take clothes off, wipe your nose, put shoes on, put socks on, buckle you in the car seat. You still don't like to be "messed with" : )
Favorite Memory this Month: A few...usually when you wake up from a nap or in the morning, I will come into your room and bend down to look at your through the slats on your crib. You think this is so funny and will usually try to grab my nose or hair. We like to "talk" like this for  a few minutes before I get you up. You have also started to crawl all over me when we are playing. Sometimes I will tickle you or fly you like an airplane and you just laugh and laugh. It just melts my heart. But my favorite moment of the day is at the very end, when we are snuggled together in your dark room and you are drinking your bottle. You will almost always hold my hand. One night I got a little teary thinking about the time when you won't want to hold my hand...but for now, I try to just take a mental snapshot of your chubby little fingers wrapped around mine.
Signature Moves: rolling/army crawl/reaching...you are on the MOVE. Smiling. You love to smile at anyone who will look at you including but not limited to: mom, dad, grandparents, strangers in the grocery store. Just today you were "flirting" with two teenage girls in Target. I turned to see what you were smiling so big at...and there they were!
Mom's Proudest Moment: I'm having such a hard time picking just one moment out of this whole month because really, I feel proud of you everyday. Don't get me wrong, we have our hard times where you are upset or cranky...but for the most part you are so fun to be with! You are easy going when we are out and about and you are fun to play with at home.

We were playing and Bear came and sat right by us. It was such a sweet moment.

After stroller strides one morning, you were playing with your friend. I'm a little sad to say I took this picture right before you pushed him down. We'll work on that : )

I don't know what was happening with your hair here...but it's hilarious. And your sleepy eyes. Anyhow, this was on Valentine's Day and your shirt says "Dr. Love". Yes, yes you are.

You like to have a little snack when you wake up from your afternoon nap. Usually a "baby mum mum" and some juice (water). I think we were watching the Olympics here.

You LOVE to stand up. Usually, I will sit close to you and you love to go back and forth between me and your little table or the furniture.

Your Daddy and I cannot get enough of this little smirk of yours. It is so funny!

This pretty much sums up most of our days...Ellen on TV, laundry, brother Bear and YOU!

Dear Cormac Lain,
What a month it has been! You are growing SO much and I know I say that every month...but it's true. You sure are keeping us on our toes now that you are moving all around. I love to just watch you inspect everything you find while you are crawling around this house. Unfortunately, you find lots of dog hair so we have to take that away. Mommy gets to vacuum lots lately : ) Speaking of Mommy...you definitely have some separation anxiety. Pretty much any time I leave your sight you let me know how much you don't like that. It's a little heart breaking to leave you in the nursery even though I know you start playing immediately after I leave. Your babbling has picked up too! You love to say "mamamama, babababa, dadadada" and a bunch of other gibberish : ) I find myself almost daily trying to take mental snapshots of you. I know I won't...but I want to always remember you at this age. I love your little chubby hands and the way you just shove your food in your mouth with your entire hand. I love your sweet red hair and your soft skin. I love to hear your laugh and the way it just explodes from you. I love the way I can look at you with a big smile and you will (almost) always return it. Of course you have your hard days and fussy times...but you are such a joy. It's weird to think that you've been out of my belly as long as you were in there. I had no idea my heart could feel this much love and the best part is, I know it will just keep growing with you. Cormac Lain, we love you more than words could ever say.
Momma & Daddy

eight months!

Age: eight months!
Stats:
Clothes:  You are still wearing mostly 6-9 month clothes. Some six month clothes are a little snug around your belly : ) You got some pants for Christmas that are nine months and fit great. You also got lots of new shoes for Christmas that are size 3. I'm still waiting for you to be a size 4 and wear your TOMS.
Favorite Activities:  You love to play! When Momma is playing with you : ) You have just recently started voicing your dislike for me to leave the room at any point in time. I think we are starting to have a little separation anxiety. You are doing so good at sitting up and playing with your toys. You aren't wobbly anymore at all. However, I think you are trying to figure out how to go from sitting up to your tummy because sometimes you just fall over backwards. You love to pull toys out of any type of bucket. I will usually put you down with a bucket filled with a few different toys and you love  just pulling them out. You also LOVE your bath time. You got a new inflatable duck that you sit in now and you love to just splash around and play. I know I say this every month, but this month so far is my favorite.
Least Favorite Activities: Speaking of being on your tummy...you still don't really like it. I'm trying to put you on your stomach more so you can figure out the whole crawling thing. You also REALLY don't like to wear shoes...or socks...or a hat...or a coat...or mittens...sensing a theme here?
Favorite Memory this Month: Well...I'm not sure this was my "favorite" memory of the month...but it was memorable! We took our first long drive to Houston for Christmas. You did great in the car but not so great while we were there. You would barely nap and sleeping at night was horrible. So much so that on the second night we just couldn't get you to calm down. You were screaming for over 2 1/2 hours. We tried everything...giving you a bottle, putting you in our bed, rocking, bouncing, patting. You were inconsolable. So, finally we decided enough was enough and packed up to come home. At 1:30 in the morning. It was crazy but you finally fell asleep in the car and I think we were all glad to just be home.
Signature Moves: You started babbling this month! You will say "ma ma ma ma ma" and "ba ba ba ba ba". It's pretty funny to "talk" to you. You also learned to clap your hands this month. You love to clap and bang toys together.
Mom's Proudest Moment: Since it was Christmas time, it was such a joy watching you discover all things Christmas. You loved the lights on all the Christmas trees and looking at all the ornaments. You weren't too sure what to think of all your presents that you got from your grandparents/aunt/uncles but you LOVED the wrapping paper! I think the best part is that I know one day you will know the real reason for Christmas and that will be a beautiful thing.

A few pictures from this month...
Morning snuggles in Momma and Daddy's bed...I tucked you into my side...

 We moved to a new apartment this month which was crazy! But you loved playing in the boxes!

 Aunt Kathy gave you a big turtle ball pit and you love to pull all the balls out. The clean up is kind of tedious...but its worth it because you will play with this for quite a long time!

 Starting to army crawl a little bit!

 We can't leave out Bear : ) He's so glad we put  out this nice soft place for him to lay and play with all these balls.

 Bear is such a good big brother! He is so patient and let's us put tissue paper on his head. : )

 You are trying to pull up so you can reach Bear. I don't think he  minds : )

 We were trying to pack/move so we put you in the bathtime duck and threw a bunch of balls in with you. You loved it!

 For Christmas, I got you and Daddy matching shirts. Two handsome boys.

 Thank goodness for Baby Einstein! It saved the last 30 minutes of our car ride to Houston.

seven months!

Cormac Lain you are seven months old! I have to confess that I am posting this about two months late and Momma's memory isn't that great! So we're just going to go with the pictures this month! 

 On of my favorite times of the day is our morning snuggle time. Most mornings, right after you wake up, we bring you into our bed and snuggle while Daddy drinks his coffee. You are getting more and more interested in that coffee  cup! Sometimes I will ask you, "how do you take your coffee Cormac?"

 You sure do get lots of smiles when we are out and about! Especially when you wear your monster hat!

 Lately, you are more and more interested in the TV. Well, we went to Costco one day and walked down the isle with all the REALLY BIG televisions and I think you were in awe. It was pretty funny to watch you take it all in!

 You love your grandpa!

 Brother Bear :  ) He is so used to us laying out blankets for him that he likes to snuggle up on your blanket sometimes. I don't think you mind.

 On Thanksgiving we walked the Turkey Trot here in Fort Worth! It was pretty cold so we had to really bundle you up. Which of course you loved : ) NOT! You did pretty well for most of the walk until you decided you were sick of being in your nice, cushy stroller. Luckily you had lots of arms that were willing to carry you.

 Mr. Personality : ) You have been giving us LOTS of funny faces lately!

 I bought you this little jumper at a consignment sale and you absolutely LOVE it. It is so hilarious to watch you jumping in it!

 It's never to early to learn to read  eat books!

 We had the Green's over one night and you and London took your baths together! It was so cute! I'm sure you won't think so in about 13 years...but oh well!

 At the beginning of December we had a lot of icy weather come through so we were snowed in for a few days! It was an adventure trying to keep you entertained the whole time since we usually try and get out of the house at least once a day. But you were a champ and did great.

Sweet Cormac, we love you more than words could ever say.
Love,
Momma & Daddy