52 Weeks

Arlo is 52 weeks old today. Fifty-two weeks! Since he's technically not one until tomorrow, let's keep it business as usual around here today.

Arlo spent his last week as a baby being extra adorable. He had a very serious conversation with Danny about love and life and happiness.

Or maybe Danny was just asking him if he wanted to be tickled. Believe what you will.

 

He mastered the xylophone.

 

A terrible sound never sounded so lovely. Love is apparently deaf, too.

We stuck him in his snowsuit for the first and only time this winter, and he had the time of his life.

I hate snow a lot less when my kid is cracking up and playing in it.

 

Danny and I both cried watching him walk down the driveway in his snowsuit—because he's growing so fast, because it's such an incredible joy to watch him experience (and delight in!) things for the first time (which I know I've mentioned a million times before), and mostly, just because he's ours.

 

Such a big boy.

We took him to sit on the Easter Bunny's lap yesterday. We were out and about, and it was on a whim—so I couldn't be happier with how the photo turned out.

 

Apparently, he only smiles for photographers when he's in ridiculous situations.

Speaking of Easter, okay, fine—I have to be a little sappy today. Exactly one year ago, I'd just finished stuffing myself with Easter dinner—and was contemplating having another piece of key lime pie—when I heard a quiet pop! and felt the room flood (or at least that's how it seemed when my water broke). I remember, so vividly, sneaking upstairs to the bathroom and shouting to Danny to "come 'ere for a sec." I remember the look on his face, and I remember thinking later that it was such a perfect reflection of my own feelings at that moment—a little shock, a little nervousness, and immeasurable joy.

Me, Arlo (in my belly), and Danny ('s shadow) exactly one year ago.

The day I went into labor—the day I knew I was so, so close to meeting the tiny person I'd hoped so hard for—is one of those crazy times that somehow feels like yesterday and a hundred years ago at the same time. But it was a year ago—one beautiful, stressful, wonderful, life-changing year ago.