It's hard to believe that Joshua is already a year old. I've been so emotional about this birthday, especially as I've been going back through old photos (finally getting around to creating a first year slideshow for him, which will hopefully be done sometime in the next few days!). It's crazy how quickly he's grown and changed from helpless newborn to rambunctious toddler...
And my goodness, how rambunctious he's grown! This month, of course, he had his first birthday party, and went on his first winter retreat. But in basic developmental news... He learned how to climb stairs! We live in a single-story apartment, so he's never really had the opportunity to climb on stairs. But earlier this month, while we were over at the Kaariainens' for small group, he started playing at the foot of their staircase. Within an hour, he had figured out how to propel himself at top speed up the stairs, and did so over and over and over again, laughing every time he managed to make it to the top landing. Going down stairs is still beyond his skillset, but he was happy enough to be carried down so that he could turn right around to start climbing again. What a fun new game. :)
He's also learned to point at things. It all started while I was reading to him. In an effort to teach him words and pictures, I've been pointing excitedly at his picture books ("Look, Joshua, that's a COW! A cow says MOO!!") -- so I think I've inadvertently taught him that books are meant to be pointed at. :) Now when I sit him on my lap to read him a book, he'll excitedly point at everything -- because that's what you do with books, right? It's still more him just running his index finger over the pages rather than pointing at specific pictures, but we're working on that! And he's moved into pointing at things in real life in an effort to communicate his desire to put said objects in his mouth -- the remote control, our phones, our glasses...
His vocabulary has also been growing this month. He'll somewhat reliably imitate us now, especially on the words "book" and "up." He learned how to say "uh-oh" on the retreat whenever he dropped something (thanks in large part to the Sallade kiddos and many many students!), and that's now his very favorite word. I think the glottal stop in the middle is a lot of fun for him to say. :) Other fairly reliable words include mama, dada, and night-night (or rather, "nah-nah," but he's said it a couple times when he was tired and wanted to take his nap!). Oh, and this isn't a word that he says yet, but we've taught him to put both hands on his head when we say "head" -- it's the first body part that he reliably recognizes!
Speaking of body parts (awkward segue, sorry!) -- we've got growth stats this month! At his 12-month checkup last week, Joshua was 21 lbs., 13.5 oz., and 30" tall, with an 18.5" head circumference. He's back up to the 50th percentile for weight, and continuing on the 75th percentile for height, and Dr. N. was very pleased with his growth.
OK, before this ridiculously long post gets even longer... A quick storyboard of Joshua's 12-month photos! Note how he tore off and tried to eat his sticker...
Our little baby isn't really a baby anymore. He runs everywhere now, so I guess I really do need to start calling him a toddler... We love you, our little toddler, more than words can say. What an incredible year it's been!
