It's good to know you're growing up

It's hard to believe it, but Ben's "due date" was a year ago yesterday. When he was first born it felt like he would always be a cute, totally helpless bundle of baby in a never-ending cycle of diaper-cry-diaper-food-cry-diaper-cry-diaper-cry-cry-foooooood!!! 

dapper Ben

While he is still technically in that cycle, it's spread out much more over the course of the day, and at least now he can make a lot of his wishes known (so much less crying!). He has true likes and dislikes and is mostly a real joy to be around (unless I'm trying to get a project around and he doesn't want me to leave his sight).

When people say that "babies grow up so fast" they are so right... unless you are a new new mom and then that is the most ridiculous, frustrating thing you've ever heard.

I know I didn't properly appreciate how hard being a new mom was, and over the past year I feel like every single thing about my life has changed, and is still changing and changing with every stage he goes though. I definitely like each stage better than the last one, too!

I remember a good teacher friend of mine told me that being a mom had made her a better, much more flexible teacher. I totally believe that. If/when I go back to the classroom I know I won't be able to get there at 6 in the morning and have everything over-prepared and completely structured, but I will also be a bit more understanding of some of the students (and their parents!), and I know I will be better at goofy read-alouds.

playtime with Grady: mostly they shared toys very nicely!

"reading" to Auden

favorite zoo animal: fish! (he can get right up in their faces)