In his birthday suit...

    How can it be that a whole year has gone by? 

Last Wednesday, June 25th, we celebrated Ivan Alexander and the day he came into this world, the day we all became happier people. It is baffling to me when I look at pictures of him from last year. How can he have changed so drastically in 365 days? He started out as a precious eight pound bundle of sleeping and ever-nursing baby, and now would you look at him, our little mover and groover, who has such a rapidly developing personality, full of ever-changing emotions, joy, fascination, contentment, curiosity, frustration, sadness, loneliness, fear. Just like we, humans, all experience, but on a much higher, more intense level. He is utterly fascinating to Bryan and I, and most who know him. 

 He is at that stage where he is constantly on a mission to get into the things he shouldn't have anything to do with. For instance, he believes the water in the toilet bowl is his own personal pool in which to splash around. And my house plants are there so that he can rip them apart little by little and take fistfuls of dirt with which to decorate the floor.  And whenever Daddy's bike is in view, his chubby little hands gravitate straight towards the greasy chain and (if I am not quick enough) grab on tightly. I'll tell you, he is lucky that he is so darn cute and always ready to light up the room with his jolly smiles, because it hard to get mad at him.

What a little love bug he is, too. Much more of a snuggler than his big brother was at this age. It is pure bliss to get a hug from such a soft, fluffy sweetheart. 

Also, our boy has inherited my side of the family's love of food. This guy is always hungry, ready to eat anything, at any time of the day. Hope his appetite decreases a bit because he is already ridiculously heavy. I have never had such strong arms.

We were actually down the shore with family this past week of his first birthday, the same week last year, when Bryan and I, full of anticipation, drove back to the city for a scheduled induction, leaving Victor with my family at the beach house. I have been reminiscing about how joyful (yet, painful) that time was, meeting him for the first time and those magical first days of his life. I hope these memories continue to stay as fresh in my mind as they are now, though I am fearful they will fade in time as most memories do. 

Happy first birthday, dear, sweet, funny Ivan. We love you more and more everyday. (Stop growing so quickly though, will ya?) 

(By the way, in the top photo, that is Victor's two-headed dragon in the background, not an enormously strange poop with wings.)