This day was spent vastly different then a year ago. So many memories were running through my head on this day. Does it feel like it's been a year? Absolutely. I'm not sure how Declan got to be as big as he is, or can do as much as he does, or how he looks different than he did when he was born. But yes, when I think about all the first weeks of almost no sleep and around the clock breastfeeding (I watched the first 2 seasons of Downton Abbey in a mere 2.5 days just by watching while I was nursing D, thanks to God for Hulu and iPads). Then those first few months of D learning to sleep at night and take naps during the day (those were some
stressful months in which there was a lot of crying... by both of us). I felt like at 6 months I was finally "happy" with my new role as mom. We figured out eating and sleeping, and he was getting so much more interactive. From 6 months to now, things have seemed to go by much faster. He learns so much everyday! Just yesterday while I was at work Matt taught him how to mount/dismount his rocking horse on his own (and actually rock while on it), to play peek-a-boo and cover his own eyes with his little hands, and to say "tick tick" when you ask him what sound a clock makes!! He's learning so fast and I love it. I know he's not, but he seems like a baby genius to me ;)
So, this year we spent Declan's birthday doing as many of his favorite things as we could pack into one day. Matt was working in Chicago, so it was just D-man and myself. I spent the day before getting all the housework/chores done, so on his birthday my 'gift' to him could be my undivided attention. When I think how on a regular basis I'm trying to cook, do dishes, or fold laundry (things that are part of life and have to be done) while he's playing nearby or trying to get my attention, I figured that would be the best way to spend his day. And honestly, it changed the way I approach all our days together now. Not that he always has my undivided attention (that wouldn't be healthy for either of us), but that I'm at least intentional about what we do during the day and making sure we have time that I do spend with him as my sole focus for a bit, even on the busiest of days. Changing the way I thought about it, really made me happier as a mom. On those 4 days that Matt's out of town every week, I no longer feel like I'm just 'getting through the day' and that means a lot to me. Of course without my weekly scheduled playdates I would start to go a little bonkers (but again, that's just part of me being intentional on how we spend our time!)
So we ate all his favorite foods (in large quantities), took pictures of his 1yr old self, made a trip to the aquarium, had a picnic (for lunch and dinner), went to the pool (of course he went there and back in his wagon which was an event in and of itself!), and finally hit up the library before calling it a day. I would say the day was pretty successful, and I think I want to continue this trend for all future birthdays. It was that great :)
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| Opening the card Daddy left for him |
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| Helping me make blueberry pancakes |
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| breakfast!! yum |
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ok, so maybe not EVERYTHING was his
favorite stuff... |
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Now this is a true favorite... opening drawers
and fishing through them. |
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| All dressed for the day! |
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| Picnic lunch |
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| Riding in style to the pool |
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| Picnic dinner at the pool |
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Riding home
(this was the point in which I pulled the wagon
over my flip-flop, tripped, my phone fell out
of my pocket, and the front and back screens
proceeded to shatter into a zillion pieces, hence
the strange picture quality) |
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| Ending the day at the library! |
