George is ONE!

I can't believe that George is ONE! This past year has been the best and hardest year of my life. From navigating the unknown parts of motherhood to feeling so proud of myself for how much I have grown alongside George. As they say, your baby doesn't come with a manual! To celebrate this year, we had a backyard party for our little man. Seeing everyone show up for us and seeing how loved George is was amazing.

Reflections on George's First Year of Life

This first year has been the hardest but also the most rewarding year of my life. I still look at George sometimes and think, "Wow, you are my baby, and I grew you in my body!" Watching him reach every milestone has brought me so much joy. His first year of life has been full of so many bittersweet moments. I love seeing him learn new things, but at the same time, I feel sad because I know he is leaving part of his babyhood behind. I wouldn't change anything for the world, though.

We have had some scary moments with his allergic reactions and not fully knowing why they were happening, but once we figured it out, we were able to adapt and move forward with confidence. We have grown to have a good understanding of George's needs and have become good at figuring them out.

Favourite Milestones

I have a few milestones that were so fun for me to watch. I love seeing George progress, getting stronger and bigger every day! One of my first favourites was when he rolled over. I was not expecting him to do it, but sure enough, he rolled right over, and I was so excited. I kept putting him back on his tummy, and he would roll right back onto his back. This was just the start of it all.

Once he mastered rolling over, crawling was what I was excited for next. Before he fully crawled, he did this cute little butt scoot, and it was the best thing ever. Once he figured out crawling, there was no stopping him, and he would go so fast! I didn't think we would see him walking for a while, but a week or so after his birthday, he took his first unsupported steps. Now there is no stopping him! He is constantly walking around and getting better at it every day. I could just watch him walk all day long. I can't wait to see what he does next.

Proud of My Journey

I am so proud of my journey into motherhood. I don't think anyone can be fully prepared for what it is like being sent home from the hospital with your first baby. Literally, every day you are learning how to care for your baby. I definitely had my moments where I was losing my mind because George wouldn't sleep or worrying that he wasn't developing well when he stopped rolling over.

I am happy to say that he doesn't have any issues with either of those things now, but it took time and patience for me to let him go at his own pace. I learned that George is going to do things in his own time and that he is doing just fine.

I truly feel so proud of how I was able to handle everything that was thrown my way. From his allergic reactions and bumps to reaching his milestones, I feel like I was able to show up for George in the way he needed me. Whether it was cuddling him until he felt better or cheering him on when he learned to roll, crawl, and walk, I will always be there for him in the best way I can be.

Birthday Party

I decided that for his first birthday, we were doing a dinosaur theme. George is a One-a-saurus! It was honestly the best day. The weather was perfect for our backyard get-together with friends and family. I had prepared a bunch of food with corresponding food labels. They were all fun labels too, like dinosaur scales for chips and a herbivore tray for the veggie tray.

I had so much fun planning his birthday. We had a piñata for the party as well. My friend made a sign for us and made George his smash cake with banana instead of eggs. I had gotten a Canva template and used that to make additional signs, a photo banner of each month, the food labels, and a "ONE" banner for his high chair.

It was amazing seeing all of our family and friends come to celebrate our little man. We had a time capsule table where we got our guests to fill something out for George so that he can open it on his 18th birthday. It will be so fun to see what everyone has written down for him to read when he is older.

The piñata was a lot of fun too, even though George had no idea what he was doing! The other kids had fun hitting the piñata at least, so that's all I care about. Overall, it was a great party, and I couldn't have been happier with how everything turned out.

What's in Store for the Future

I can't wait to see where life takes us now. George is such a little goofball, and I love seeing the world through his eyes. He takes on everything that comes his way with so much confidence. He is my little daredevil, and I love him so much.

Now I am already wanting to plan for his next birthday party. Yes, I know that is crazy, but I just know that this next year is going to fly by way faster than I want it to. I can't wait to see what is in store for us over the next year. 💙