Dear Alex,
I’ve been thinking a lot about this past year and how our lives have changed by sharing it with you. First of all I’d like to thank God for giving us the precious gift of becoming parents to the most wonderful baby boy… YOU!!!
It’s been a year since you were born. It seems like yesterday when we brought you home from the hospital. You were so tiny and fragile. That night was cold and rainy, and having to drive on a highway transporting our most valuable treasure was nerve racking. Your Dad and I were so nervous but at the same time so excited to finally have you home with us.
This has been a big year for you. It is amazing how much you’ve grown and how much you’ve learned. Daddy has always been eager to teach you and show you things, even when you were only a few days old. Once you started spending more time awake, Daddy would show you the light in the kitchen ceiling. He used to point at it and say “light”. Very soon when we asked you “Alex, where is the light?” You would look up. Then Daddy started to teach you the names of the different things in the kitchen while we were feeding you. This would keep you entertained and distracted during your feeding times. By the age of 1 year, you can point to - or at least look at – many things when we ask you, “Alex – where is the (blank)”… window, chair, microwave, dishwasher, photos (on the fridge), pig or chancho (our little pig holding a blackboard in kitchen), tree or arbol, plantita (small plant), platano or banana, socks or medias, pajamas, hair (not Daddy’s), ear, hands, mouth, floor, Elmo (your bib), Ramon (your Cabbage Patch that Aunt Gianna gave you for Christmas), trash can, etc… Not a bad list for being 12 months… and even better, we practice these names in Spanish as well.
At age 9 months your Daddy taught you to make the sign for Touchdown, both arms up in the air. It took you a while, but when you finally got comfortable and saw our reaction, you kept doing it to make us laugh… you can entertain a room full of adults by doing touchdown!!! By now, you can sign “I don’t know” by turning your little hands palms up. You can clap and do “bravo” to celebrate anything you think is good, or when you hear us say ‘bravo”. You also stick you tongue out when Daddy asks “como hace el lobito?” (what does the little wolf do?). You play “topi-topi”, a slow and soft head butt with the forehead that is closest to you –a game that Grandma Yoyi started. You can do fist pump when we ask you to, can sign “please”, “more”, “bye-bye” and even do “ear muffs” and cover your ears. That will come in handy when Dad or I need to say something you are not suppose to hear.
By now you are able to take a few steps on your own, but still need Mommy and Daddy to catch you. You are being more vocal and can say “dada dada” (daddy), “cahk-cahk” when you want a cracker, “baba baba” when you are trying to say momma and can also say “caca”. How cute you are when you grab your little towel and put it near your nose and say “oiko-oiko-oiko”. We are not sure what it means, but it seems to bring you comfort. You even know how to imitate a little kitty, when we ask you “Como dice el gatito?” (What does the kitty say?), you make a high pitch sound, “meee meee”.
You are such a happy baby… always with a good disposition, always smiling, even when you hadn’t had a chance to take a nap because we’ve been running some errands. Or when I have to clean that teary eye because you still have a blocked tear duct and will need the procedure to fix it after all... Nothing can make us happier when we hold you and ask you “carino para mami/papi” (love for Mommy/Daddy) and you lay your head on our shoulder to show us affection. And what can I say about you beautiful eyes… when I ask you to do “ojitos” (little eyes) you close your eyes for a few seconds and look back at me with that sweet little smile.
This has been a big year for our little family, you brought so much happiness and meaning to our lives. Keep smiling Alex, you have an exciting future to look forward to!!!
We love you very very much…
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY BABY!!!
