In less than a month, Nicholas will be turning the big 01!!! I can't believe how fast a year goes by. Or how stressful the idea of planning a birthday party is. I don't want to do anything too big because he is too young to remember or really enjoy a lot of things. But I do want to do something special. And trying to make something special always stresses me out because it never turns out as well in real life as in my head.
And I am officially making the "cake" (cupcakes), and I am completely inept at decorating. I've tried. I have failed. At least they taste yummy. We are doing a Dr. Seuss theme. And I have no idea where to find "fish-shaped" cookie cutters.
The past week Nicholas has learned to wave! He sort of sounds like he says "hi" when he does it too. And he calls Buttercup "BaBa" when he sees her. "Mama" is his current favorite word; unfortunately, anyone and everyone qualifies as "mama". He also has learned to point to what he wants. He is growing so fast!
He isn't walking yet, which really stresses me out. I guess because Scott and I both walked before we were 10 months old. And he seems to have completely stalled in this area of development. He reached the cruising stage more than three months ago and has just stayed there. I know he isn't officially "behind" yet, but he is not progressing like it seems he should. Everyone thinks I am stressing over nothing, but this is my first child, and I am already given to neuroticism.
I have several theories to justify his delay (and comfort myself when people start saying, "He isn't walking yet? My kid walked at six months!"):
1. He has taken tons and tons of falls. He has hit his little head on our ceramic tile so many times that he has learned that it hurts to take chances.
2. He is super efficient at getting around. He can climb on things (like the fireplace) and get back down easily. He can walk one-handed along anything. He can crawl to what he wants, and he carries what he needs in his mouth or in one hand. Why would he need to walk when he can already get to what he wants?
3. He has been learning new skills in every other area, so he hasn't had time for walking. He has learned to feed himself. He has started learning to communicate with words and gestures. He is learning to dance to music. He has figured out how to work so many toys that are supposed to be for older children.
4. There are doors. He loves to open and close all kinds of doors. It is all he ever cares about when in a room that has one. His obsession with learning to walk has transferred into an obsession with doors. We may have to seek professional help with that one.
Other than the walking thing, he is the funniest, happiest child you will ever meet. He is so incredibly charming that even strangers comment on his cuteness all the time. I may be biased, but I think we may have lucked out on getting the coolest kid around.
