Well little dude, you’ve made it with us for a year now and I’ve got to say that I’m very impressed that you’ve managed to fit in so well with our family zoo. You’ve grown far more quickly than I ever thought you would. When I think of a one year old, I don’t think of the teetering, climbing, shrieking monkey that you are today. You are just so big! I’ve got pretty big biceps now because of it so I guess I shouldn’t complain. I like how you say “da-da-da-da” when you’re wandering around happy and “ma-ma-ma-ma” when you’re mad.

You were never small, but in your first months you lay easily and lightly in my arm. For short periods of time anyway, like I said, you were never small. That didn’t last long though. You really don’t like to be held down and hate to be made to do anything. I imagine that this is your mother’s influence, just don’t tell her I said that. She gets cranky these days, though that’s largely because you have decided that sleep is for sissies and you’d rather not have it and you’ll be damned if your mom does too. I can safely tell you that we do not appreciate this particular facet of your otherwise perfectly charming ways. Our hope is that you’ll have these sleep gremlins worked out by the early parts of your second year with us. We hope. Our thinking is that this is due to your rather advanced chewing apparatus. So many teeth in so little time has left your mouth angry and raw and desperate for revenge.

You make up for it with the aforementioned charm, when you walk up to me and wave your hands back and forth over your head when you demand that I pick you up. You love to go cruising around with me while I carry you around anywhere and everywhere. As long as I don’t sit down you are as happy as can be. It makes me pretty happy too. Sometimes you and I go for short walks around the neighborhood. I like to see what people are doing to their houses and you like to see their dogs walking around. You can’t wait to get close to dogs, cats or any animal. You start waving your hands around and yell “tat! tat!”. Your face turns to pure joy when I set you on Roscoe’s back and let you ride him around the room.

We’ve had some hard times this year too, harder than we could have ever dreamed, but I feel like we have helped each other enjoy ourselves even through the rough spots. We have to, because being a family is the most important aspect of our lives and I want you to always remember that there is nothing that matters more. Oh, and don’t forget that I love you and always will. Happy birthday!