Tyson at 1 year old!

Tyson turned one year old on June 3, 2014.  It is hard to believe it!  He is growing up so fast.  Here's a little bit about what Tyson is like right now...  Tyson is a very happy little boy.  He is full of smiles and loves to laugh.  He loves to play with his little basketball and with his other toys.  He loves exploring the apartment and recently has found enjoyment in anything that opens and closes (such as doors, cupboards, and drawers).  He loves to interact with other people and is always getting people to smile and interact with him anywhere we go.  However, he always likes to be close to me and if he is handed over to someone else he cries.  Rather than crawling, around ten months Tyson starting scooting around on his behind.  He has become very good at it and scoots very quickly.  He used to love to be held but now prefers to be on the ground scooting around. 

Tyson also started signing around ten months.  He uses signs to express when he is hungry and when he wants things.  He gets his signs mixed up sometimes (he often signs all done when he actually wants to eat something), but it is amazing to me that he is using signs to try to communicate.  He also recently started saying his first word: bye bye (pronounced baba by him).  Anytime someone leaves or we are going somewhere he waves his arm and says bye bye.  It is so darling!

Around nine months Tyson started to develop his pincer grasp.  He quickly became very good at picking up the tiniest of things between his thumb and pointer finger.  He finds the tiniest specks on the floor and puts everything into his mouth.  If I catch him in the act of picking something off the floor and say his name, Tyson will usually hand the item to me rather than putting it in his mouth.  However, Tyson picks little items off the floor so often that I find myself vacuuming all the time to keep the floor clean!  Tyson is also great at using his pincer grasp to feed himself.  He loves feeding himself and feeds himself most of his meals with the exception of his cereal in the morning and a few other items like yogurt and applesauce.  He used to hate picking up anything that was messy (such as a boiled egg yolk that I mashed up on his tray), but over time has gotten so he doesn’t mind mess at all.  Tyson’s favorite foods right now are bananas, grapes, bread, pasta, cheese, and peas.

While other kids may find comfort in blankets and stuffed animals, Tyson has his own two comfort items.  The first is fairly common and the second is uniquely him.  First, Tyson loves his thumb.  Around five months I stopped giving Tyson his pacifier (which he loved) because he would wake frequently during the night and want the pacifier.  Within a few days he discovered his thumb and has loved it ever since.  He sucks his thumb all the time.  Second, Tyson loves my hair.  Whenever he is sad or tired or in need of comfort he grabs a piece of my hair and then sticks his thumb in his mouth.  My hair is very comforting to him.  It used to drive me crazy how much Tyson grabbed my hair but now I love it.  I’m glad something from me brings comfort to him.

 

Tyson loves to talk.  About a month or two ago he started this really funny jabbering in which he sticks every sound possible into strings of his own word creations.  He talks to people in this jabber as if he is saying something that makes complete sense.  I just love hearing him talk and try to respond to him as if he really is saying something that makes sense.  If how he talks now is any indication of what he’ll be like in the future, he is going to have a lot to say!

I have found so much joy in motherhood.  Never in my life have I found such enjoyment in my full-time occupation.  When I was in college, I enjoyed many aspects of it but dreaded getting up early, taking tests, writing papers, etc.  When I was working, again there were aspects that I enjoyed but once again I didn’t like getting up early, being gone all day, and feeling stressed and pressured at work.  There is nothing about motherhood that I dread or don’t like.  I don’t mind getting up early with Tyson (even when he gets up at 5:30 in the morning).  I don’t mind rocking him back to sleep at night when he’s teething or not feeling well.  I love spending all my time with him.  I love playing with him, watching him as he develops new skills, teaching him, feeding him healthy meals, cuddling with him, giving him hugs and kisses, and telling him how much I love him.  I love watching him as he tries new things and experiences new people and places.  I just love everything about him and am so grateful to be his mama.  Happy birthday Tyson!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!