Sterling is one year old! I found myself on the verge of tears for most of the day today. I don't know if they were happy or sad tears. They were just feelings. Feelings about being in labor, and the relief I felt when he was born, and those first precious/terrifying days with a newborn, and how our family has changed since Sterling joined us. Twelve months ago, I remember thinking that if I could just make it through the first year of raising him, we might both be all right. And here I am, at this particular finish line of life. It has been a difficult year - the first year of raising a baby always is for me. Sometimes I feel like I've been hibernating for the last twelve months, and am only now emerging back into real life and here's this toddler, and he's mine.
So yes, feelings. On a lighter note, here are some of Sterling's projects around the house these days, as a newly-minted one-year-old.
1. Tearing up toilet paper and putting the shreds in the toilet, the bidet, the trash can, and the bath tub. This is a continuous work in progress - I don't think he'll ever be done.
2. Taking off the drain covers and drain grates. It makes a loud metal-slidey noise and there's a gaping hole left uncovered with rushing water at the bottom.
3. Gathering assorted detritus and putting it in the drawer under the oven. He takes this one very seriously. I walk into the kitchen, he follows me, and it's like he metaphorically rolls up his shirtsleeves to his elbows and says, "let's get'r done." In that drawer, I have found bag-closing clips, silverware, cups, water bottles and their lids, straws, and toys - anything. If you are missing something, it is probably in that drawer.
4. GO OUTSIDE. He has a radar-like sense for when the front or back doors open. Once his internal alarm has been tripped, he makes a beeline for the exit point. The other day a neighbor kid came in the house and left the front door open. I was in the kitchen and by chance, I glanced out the window and saw my baby walking down the front patio, on his way to who knows where.
Happy birthday, Sterling!