Are we there yet?: Birthday boy

Our baby is ONE. It's already been almost a month since George's first birthday, and he's made huge progress in his mobility in that time. He's not walking yet, but getting closer every day. It was only just around his birthday that George figured out how to move from sitting to crawling. Since then he's started crawling up and down the stairs - one of his favourite past-times at the moment, furniture-surfing much more confidently, pulling himself up to standing, and even standing for a few brief seconds unassisted. George loves the independence of being able to move around on his own, and it's also helped him be less concerned about whether or not I'm in sight. He's had some pretty intense separation anxiety for the past six months or so, but it seems to be lessening as he becomes more mobile.

George's language skills are slowly developing. He has a few "words" - "ne, ne, ne" (no, no, no), "ha" (hi), "mama", "dada", "buh" (ball) and "uh" (up). He's quite good at imitating sounds - including Charlotte's shrieks when she's excited or upset. He can also follow simple instructions, such as when I suggest going upstairs or when Charlotte urges him to follow her ("Come on, George!"), and he clearly understands words such as "clap" and "wave". I remember Charlotte's linguistic abilities taking a dramatic leap forward between 16 and 17 months of age, and it was so much fun. I'm looking forward to George really starting to talk, too.

George loves being outside, whether in the stroller, sitting in the backyard, or playing at the park, and since spring has arrived we've been spending a lot of time outdoors. Like most one year-olds, he's curious about everything: birds, planes, the wind in the trees, people, dogs, and anything that makes noise. He's interested in Charlotte's bike and trike, but if she notices she's quick to move them away. She's possessive of everything these days, but especially these prized items!

George is really interested in figuring out how things work. He loves to drop things and pick them up, put things into different spaces and take them out again. We joke that many of his most advanced skills relate to eating. He's becoming quite dexterous with a spoon and fork, feeding himself everything from oatmeal to macaroni and cheese. He can drink from an open cup, although we usually give him one with a lid to avoid having to worry too much about what he does with it. George now eats with his highchair at the table and only once has he dumped a full plate of food on the floor. He's a big eater, though his appetite seems to have lessened recently. He enjoys a wide range of foods; almost any fruit or vegetable, yogurt, and bread are his favourite.

At his one year check-up George weighed a little over 30 pounds - still off the charts for weight, and in the 90th percentile for height. He has eight teeth and I think he's working on some more. He definitely gets fussy with teething and I won't be sorry to be through the teething stage, though thankfully it doesn't disrupt his sleep.

George can be insistent when he's hungry or fussy - he has a grunt that lets us know he needs attention - but he's also a loving little guy who tolerates his sister stealing his toys incredibly well. He will often play shy around adults but enjoys being around other babies or children. He's quick to smile and has an infectious laugh (that sounds a lot like Charlotte's actually). We like to say that "Daddy gives tight love (tight hugs) and George gives wet love" (sloppy kisses). We're so thankful George has joined the family.