Syphr is 1

A week late with this post, but for good reasons! Syphr's birthday was a hectic day where I had to try really hard to hold on to the last of my sanity. That was our last day in Topeka, so we spent the day loading the Uhaul trailer, packing the car and cleaning. Syphr spent most of the day with Grams because I didn't want him in the car all day the day before we left town. I am happy he could at least be with his grandma on his birthday so I don't feel like he was completely cheated out of a birthday, but I'm sure the guilt I feel from leaving him all day on his happy day, and being a giant emotional ball of stress by the time the party started will pay off for him in the toy department. I only took a few pictures, but I do have a birthday video.....only I can't post it until I get a fire wire cable to make my video camera compatible with the computer...the same camcorder hoarding both the pictures and video. 

Since you can't view the video yet, or see the pictures (except for the two posted which were taken on our drive to VA) here's what we did:

We had Cece's pizza for dinner, and the ever so yummy Cece's cinnamon rolls instead of birthday cake. Sy is not too much of a cake fan. He had a tower of 4 cinnamon rolls and he loved every bit of them. After he devoured his carbohydrate goodness he went straight to the tub. I guess it is normal for most 1 year olds, but he couldn't care less about presents. He was happy to play with them, but was not interested in the opening no matter how inviting the tissue paper was.

One year later, we still love this little guy. He's getting to be so fun, with a little personality poking through. He is super opinionated, silly, snugly, and most of all MELLOW. Such a welcome treat after over-dramatic and hyper-sensitive (though I love those boys too).  I love this age because you can see the wheels turning in his head. He is starting to understand some of the things we say, and while he doesn't communicate yet, I can tell he understands by his reaction. He's still not walking on his own yet, but I know he wants to when he sees his brothers running around at the park. I guess he just likes being carried, or maybe it is his super army crawling skills that he's not ready to give up. Either way, he gets to his destination. 

1 year stats:

    weight: 22 lbs  9 ounces

    height:  29.5 inches

Likes:

• kiwi. He might be able to win an eating contest if kiwi fruit is involved. 
• Milk. We graduated onto whole milk a tad early so it would be a bit more convenient for the car ride. He is a milk fan. We might need to invest in our own cow with Tal and Sy in the family. 
• Drinking through a straw. I watched my 4 nieces and nephews the weekend before we moved, but forgot to bring just about everything except diapers and wipes that Syphr needed for my 3 day stay at their house. That included bottles. He never missed his bottle so when we got home they all went in the trash, and we've since moved on to sippy cups. Just about the time I bought all new sippy cups, Syphr learned how to drink out of a straw. Now it is hard to get him to drink anything without a straw. 
• facing forward in the car! I was so bummed when the announcement came out that kids should be rear facing until 2 years. Sy hates the car. The morning before we left he had his 1 year check-up and I mentioned it to the Dr who was unaware of this new rule, so she went to investigate. She came back a bit later and said that it is a recommendation, not the law, and said it is probably a bigger crash risk to have a child in the back of the car screaming because they don't want to be there. Sy went forward facing before we left the parking lot, and I credit his new ability to see out of the windows, and catch a glimpse of the DVD player for allowing us a very mellow 18 hour 3 day drive with a 1 year old who despises the car. 
• The biggest and best slides at the park. He also enjoys swings, but slides take the cake. 
• Bath time. He goes from mellow to crazy splashing kid the instant his body touches the water. I can't wait to take him swimming this summer!
• Snacks. Syphr got snack cups for his birthday. The kind that have a handle and he can reach one hand in, and pull out snacks to feed himself. Well, that is how it is supposed to work. Sy turns it upside down and shakes it until snacks fall on the floor, then he eats them from there. Anyway, just the fact that he is getting his own snacks has gone to his head because he thinks he is hot stuff and has his snack cup practically glued to his hand. 

Dislikes:

• Putting clothes on. Even if his hands and feet are freezing and turning purple he still protests with his greatest strength if clothing comes near him. 
• Diaper changing. He twists, screams, and kicks to his best ability in attempts to avoid a new diaper. 
• Talan invading his space. Syphr is starting to retaliate though, so Tal better watch out. 

Talents:

• saying: dada, mama, ya-ya, ba-ba, na-na, la la
• communicating that he is angry at something that has just happened by screaming. Not crying so much, just a shrill scream. 
• pointing at anything he wants someone to see, or pointing just to point. 
• Super awesome baby dance moves