A few days ago, Walt asked Josh why we had another baby.
"Well," Josh told him, "we wanted to have another child and wanted you to have a brother or sister."
"But isn't it harder?" Walt asked, in the understatement of the year. "It's kind of like level two on starwars.com, right?"
Or level 413, but who's counting?
Despite the fact that we now simultaneously have light saber fights with Darth Vadar, navigate asteroid fields in the Millennium Falcon, rescue the princess from Jabba the Hut, and save the galaxy from the evil empire (all without the benefit of The Force), we wouldn't change a thing.
Patrick turned one last week, which makes this post shamefully late, I know, but I wanted to be able to give it the time it deserved. It just seems that with two kids, there is much, much less of that to go around. So, five days late it is. Here's Patrick a year ago today . . .
And now . . .
How does this happen? One day you've got this little soft, sweet-smelling lump of nothing that sleeps twenty hours a day, and the next, he's a loud, sticky bundle of energy who's chasing the big kids around the backyard in his walker.
After reading Walt's one-year post, I see that the two are tracking pretty closely in many ways. At his one-year check-up, Patrick was 20.2 lbs (which includes his snack-trap, which he refused to give up for the weighing) and 29.5 inches. So, slightly lighter and longer than his brother at the same age. Also, both had an ear infection on their birthdays. ("Happy birthday to you! Have an antibiotic!")
Patrick is a cruising machine these days, as Walt apparently was at the same age as well. Though he doesn't seem quite ready to take off on his own, he can cover some ground holding onto walls, furniture and REALLY loud push toys. (For heaven's sake, why don't they put a volume switch on those things?!)
He does a lot of babbling and occasionally utters noises that seem like actual words . . . "uh-oh" and "bye-bye" he even seems to use in context. "Dadadadada" and "mamamamama" are directed at anyone or no one in particular, but are sweet to hear nonetheless.
He does seem to be a bit more of a picky eater than Walt was at the same age. When presented with most new foods, he wrinkles up his little nose and shakes his head back and forth vigorously. His favorite foods are bananas, cheese (especially macaroni that is covered by it), buttered toast, and any kind of melon. We're continuing to supplement this diet with baby food, which he INSISTS on helping to feed himself. Two spoons are required for any feeding. And also a bath afterward.
But like his big brother, his best girl is a Lareau girl . . .
. . . though that doesn't mean he wants to share his Slicky with her!
All in all, he's a sweet, lovable little guy who we wouldn't trade for any other little Wookiee in the galaxy!
(And I just have to post this picture because I think it's kind of hysterical. These are the birthday birds who invaded Patrick's party at Gram and DeeDaddy's house!)
