Querido Marcelo

Querido Marcelo
Where has the time gone my handsome little man?  You will be one year old in just a couple days and are officially a TODDLER now!  Walking!!!  What?
You are changing way.  Too.  Fast.  How could a year have gone by already?!

The last few months, you have been climbing up the stairs, pulling up and cruising on all the furniture. Then when we were in San Diego earlier this month you were standing on your own more and more.

Of course, as soon as you noticed though, you would fall down.  After a couple weeks,  you took your first steps...just 5-6 at a time.

When we got back from San Diego, it took you just two days to pretty much give up crawling all together.  You are even carrying golf clubs now.

I went back and read about your hermano when he was 11 months and it was like I was talking about you.  He even started taking steps for the first time while at abuela's house.

You recently took up dancing too, and now that you can stand up, you have taken it to a whole new level.


Who dat who dat? M-A-R-C-E-L-O!
You really crack me and your papi up.  You have such a playful sweet personality.  You are happy all the time and rarely cry.  (minus that bad flight from San Diego)  You are easily going and easily pacified.

Yeah, that's right mijo.  You are just an easy baby and I thank you for that.  Sometimes I fear that this year-long easy phase will come to an end.  Walking presents a whole new set of challenges, but your sweet easy going demeanor has been consistent.

Your mama loves you so much.  I love that you give me kisses and walk to me with your arms wide open so I will hug you.  As a matter of fact, you do this with everyone that you love.

There is no doubt in my mind you will get crazy.  I mean, you are Mateo's brother.  Mi bebe, have you ever heard the saying "monkey see, monkey do?"  You are a climber...just like someone else I know.  You tackled the stairs at 9 months and haven't stopped since.  Im looking forward to seeing your personality develop along with your physical feats which will surely keep us on our toes.

Here is the 411 on other topics:

Talking/signs
You said your first word.....wait for it....AGUA!!
Well I guess technically your first word was "uh-oh" back when you were 9 months old, but I was so happy when you said agua!
You also woke me up one morning (in SD) saying "mama" from your pack and play (which was sitting right beside our bed.)  You don't say it much though at this point, but you know who every one is already.

The other day I was holding you and walked by the picture of a cow [divided with the different meat cuts] in the kitchen and you pointed and said "moo" or maybe it was more like "eeeeewh"
Either way I knew what you were saying!  I have also heard you "meow" like Titi.  Smart boy.

Since your abuela's house is right on the flight path into San Diego's airport, there were planes flying by all day long (not close enough to be really loud, but you can definitely hear/see them) After a while we started to tune them out.  But not you my little mexi-can, you would wave your arm in the air every time one would go by, and sometimes add sound effects.  You are so funny.

Even funnier than the airplane wave though is the "araña"(spider) impression that you do.  Your abuela kept doing it and you quickly started copying her. You even make your hand jump with a little noise when the araña "gets you."
(video coming)

You love "talking" on the phone.  Your phone, mamas phone, the remote control, it doesn't matter.  If it's shaped like a phone, you put it up to your ear up to it and talk to whoever is there.

Eating
You are such a good eater.  Period.  You lived on breast milk until 6 months and after just a short time with purees, we let you do your thing with solids.  You prefer to feed yourself anyway.  In fact you are already experimenting with utensils.  You do a good job with placing food into your spoon and you are about 50-50 at actually getting the food into your mouth.  You had your first taste of cow's milk a couple weeks ago and you were not impressed.   It has nothing on mama's milk Im sure, but you will learn to like it!  (even if I have to mix in bananas like I did with Mateo!) You are still nursing in the morning and just before bed, but I think your interest is waning so it may not be much longer.

You are an adventurous eater so far, and we plan to keep it that way!  Indian, Thai, Mexican (of course!) to name a few cuisines!  I would say pinto beans are probably your favorite food.  You can polish off a half can in one sitting.  (yes, I rinse them!) Strawberries and blueberries are in a close second! You surprised us a couple weeks ago by eating about 6 jalapeño stuffed olives.
I found out you love peanut butter after you snatched your brothers sandwich.  No allergies - whew!


Sleeping
You are a reliable sleeper. 11-12 hours every night (never waking) and 2 naps during the day.  You have slept in so many rooms/beds (in our house and others) over the year and it never phases you.  You slept in your mama y papi's room (off and on) until eight months.  Bassinet, crib and then in a pack-n-play in our walk in closet! Most recently you were sleeping in the extra room in the p-n-p until just a week ago when you started sleeping in Mateo's room.  So far so good.  Even though your hermano forgets his whispering voice sometimes, you have proven to be a sound sleeper.

Here is how bedtime/nap goes: Read a book or two. Pull the elephants tail for a lullaby, give you your chuper (pacifier) and you immediately lay your head down on my shoulder.  I rock you for a minute, kiss you, lay you down in the crib and walk out.  Done and done!
I KNOW!   Please keep doing this my little mexican.

We are at your grandma & grandpa's house this week to celebrate 5 birthday's in our family!  Your uncle Scott turned 50 this week! Whoa!  Also your aunt Jenny, aunt Margie and tio Brrrian had birthdays.  Of course you are having a birthday too and everyone is coming over for a fun airplane party! And I know you are ready to party.  You are always up for a good time.  Details and photos coming soon mi amor.