Oliver is ONE!

How the time has flown with you, my littlest love!

Since you arrived in our hustle and bustle house, I've realized that our table was certainly missing you. Your sweet smile, and your intense gazes have brought a love we didn't know we were missing. Thank you, Oliver.

You're a boy, through and through, and love to wrestle, move, play with big body movements, and dance to music! My favorite thing you do is using objects under your hands to "cruise" on the ground instead of crawl. You go pretty darn fast on your homemade wheels too!

You love strumming the guitar, or trying to get the harmonica to sound, shaking a maraca or pounding the drum. You bounce to the slightest hint of music, and I see your lips moving slightly as if you're learning the lyrics.

It's impossible to get you to read a book. You'd much rather chew on books (which someone shared with me is a *critical* part of early literacy. It cracks me up!) than read them.

You like to pretend you're talking on the phone. With a phone. A remote. Anything that has buttons. And your babbling is loud and squaky. All the time, except when you're pursing your lips like a bird and OOohh-OOohhh-ing.

The other day, we saw some friends walking down Oak St, and I rolled down the car window. Ana called out to them, "Hello!" As we drove away, you waved your hand and hollered too. It's mostly like this when we are laughing, talking loudly, or relaying a story. You make your contribution to the general din of noise, and smile broadly.

You're as big as an ox, and in so many ways, we never had a baby period. You're so tremendously easy, sleeping from 6 to 6, fuss free, and honestly, I might remember a couple of weeks since you were born when that hasn't been the case. I'm so grateful for your easy going brightness. It reminds me of your dad, whom I love so dearly for his sweet and easy ways.

You have some words, especially "Mama" and "Dada". "Ana" is a new one. Ms. Gwen also heard you say "Snacktime..." not surprisingly(-; You repeat many sounds that we work to say, and read our lips so intently. I see you working up to "Elliot" and am pretty sure you're saying "Tita" to her delight. She's absolutely CRAZY about you, and we have to remind her not to pick you up constantly or rescue you from every cry. And when you see her, you're diving from our arms. Yes, that Tita has some good love.

You're passionate, and love to grab our faces with your two hands and

Your hair has curled and your ears are straightening a little, sadly. You're rolly polly, but up on those feet almost all the time now. We keep waiting for those walking days as you work up the courage to take 3-5 steps here and there.

You're so sweet and easy, Ollie, it's misleading...easy to get lulled into a false sense that all babies are this way. Thank you for being just who you are. We're enjoying every minute with you.