Top 10 Differences Between a Newborn and 1 Year Old

10) A Newborn can give you sore nipples, sleep deprivation, and the constant feeling that you are obviously a novice at the baby thing. A one year old gives you tennis elbow, thumb tendonitis, and the constant feeling that you are obviously a novice at the whole toddler thing.

9) A Newborn eats, sleeps, and poops pretty much all day. A one year old runs around terrorizing the dogs, plays with his toys, reads his books, figures out how to start climbing on the furniture, dumps over the dogs’ water dish, rearranges the furniture, climbs in the refrigerator when it is open, terrorizes the dogs, picks up pieces of grass from the carpet and hands them to Mommy, pulls out every single toy in his baskets, snuggles with the doggy bed, kisses and hugs Mommy, terrorizes the dogs, pushes his car around the entire house, bangs on his piano, “helps” with the laundry, makes random phone calls on Mommy’s cell phone, eats five times a day, terrorizes the dogs……….

8) A Newborn catches people’s attention when he makes that cute little “I’m a brand new baby” cry when you are out in public. A one year old catches people’s attention when he is hollering at the top of his lungs because you won’t let him chew on the box of Colgate toothpaste that you just threw in your shopping cart.

7) A Newborn may require several clothing changes throughout the day due to spitup, the occasional diaper blowout, and because it is just so darn fun to play dress-up with all of his cute, brand-new baby outfits. A one year old may require several clothing changes throughout the day because…well, because he is a one year old.

6) A Newborn snuggles at any time of the day. A one year old snuggles on HIS time and at HIS discretion (but that just makes the snuggles all the more precious).

5) A Newborn is super easy to photograph at any time of the day. A one year old requires practically strapping him down to a stationary object before you can get a decent picture of him that doesn’t come out blurry.

4) A Newborn can be carted around to just about anywhere during your day full of errands. You can TRY to take a one year old just about anywhere but sometimes it is way more of a hassle than it is worth.

3) A Newborn has no idea what a cell phone is. A one year old can somehow sign you up for a $3.99 monthly subscription to a gaming service via the internet feature on your phone (internet that you have yet to figure out how to use yourself).

2) A Newborn does not have the eye-hand coordination or mobility skills to grab the dog’s tail and pull as hard as he can. A one year old does.

1) A newborn does not possess the gift of speech yet. A one year old can carry on a conversation with you, complete with hand gestures and facial expressions. It may sound Klingon, but it sure is fun. :)

How fast they grow...

Daddy Dearest

My boys in blue.

Brainwashing

I love how I come home from a weekend of work and find about 50 pictures on our camera of Avery wearing a Georgia Tech or Atlanta Braves hat. No bias there. Uncle Jon-Jon, please send an OSU hat ASAP.

Beach Bums

We made a quick trip to the beach last Friday afternoon because I have been working the past several weekends and we are missing out on prime beach time (before it gets too sweltering hot to leave the house, haha). While going to the beach with Avery is not really relaxing (we have to take turns chasing him out to the ocean), it is so much fun to watch him play in the sand and watch him laugh when the waves hit his little body. I think he will probably own a surfboard by age 3.

Coppertone commercial, anyone?

Avery is sporting the "spiked" look because there is so much sunscreen in his hair.

Hotspots at the Jean House

Avery may not have any human siblings, per se, but he still has to learn how to share with his annoying doggy brethren. While the dogs and Avery are pretty consistent at only playing with the doggy toys when interacting with each other, certain spots in the house are up for grab, no matter what species you are. One favored spot in the Jean house that is often rotated between dog and Avery is the mat at the back door.

You don't often see Willie hanging out at The Mat by himself, because...
...he and Haley are sharing it, or...

...Haley and Avery are sharing it, or...

...Haley and Avery are battling over it ("Hey Mom, Haley won't get off my mat!"), or...

...Avery is using The Mat to get a suntan, or... ...to do pushups on...
...or to use as a common place to go when he has to poop (true story...he poops most often by the door!).

Another much contested location in the Jean house is the front door. Willie looks out of it the most and barks at the neighbors, people walking their dogs, construction workers, frogs, and Jehovah Witnesses.

Avery likes to come over to see what the fuss is all about...

...and Haley just sits on the carpet closest to the door because I think she is too out of shape to jump up and look out the window.

A final place of desire amongst canine and boy is the plush doggy bed that Mommy bought for Willie several years ago. Haley quickly claimed territory over this bed before Willie could even lay in it, and now that Avery is bigger than the dogs and walks on 2 feet, he has now claimed dibs on it too.

At the end of the day, there is definitely a child-dog hierarchy and Willie is definitely at the bottom of it. Poor Willie. :)

Growing with the BOB

Avery had his 12 month Well Visit yesterday. Here are the A-Dogg's stats:
Weight: 24lbs 10oz (50th percentile)
Height: 32 inches (75th percentile)
Head Circumference: 48.5 inches (95th percentile!!!)....this explains why it is hard to fit Avery's head into his shirts!

Watch Avery grow over the past year:

1 week old:

4 months old:

6 months old:

12 months old:

Another Avery Video

Here is a video compilation with some of Avery's funniest clips from this past week. This video was made mostly with the Grandparents in mind, but maybe others can find it as humorous as we did!

Sidenote: Please ignore the constantly messy house...I think (hope) that's pretty standard when it comes to having a one year old!

Cutie Patootie

Dogfluence

Who needs older siblings when you have a Willie dog to teach bad manners? But at least no one can argue that my child's not a fast learner....

Ohio...Again.

All right....we have made a lot of trips to the Buckeye State this past year!! I am really missing what used to be a 6 hour drive for us! All well worth it when your best friend gets married, though!

Grandma and Avery stretching their legs at a rest stop.

Avery's first McDonald's PlayPlace experience...which is a godsend when you are traveling with a toddler!

More stretching of the legs. Avery doesn't do much sitting still at home and isn't too crazy about it when in the car either!

Great-Grandma Speck & Avery

Visiting Grandpa Sattelmeyer's classroom.

Avery's first haircut by my Mom's friend Sue. Despite the wiggly worm in my lap, she gave the A-Dogg an awesome and much needed trim!!
Congratulations, Aunt Martina and Uncle Joe!!

Easter in the Smokies

This year, we enjoyed spending another Easter weekend in the Smoky Mountains with Ninny, Grandaddy, Aunt Kelly, and cousins Eli, Oliver, and Emeri. Avery had fun playing with and trying to keep up with his three cousins...I think that they taught him how to run!! I have never seen three kids be so sweet to a one year old. I hope that they remain close as they all get older.

Top of the Smokies at Newfound Gap.

Easter egg dyeing.

"Hey! I said I wanted this over easy!!"

Picture time with Great-Granmother Joy. It is very hard to take pictures of 4 moving kids.

Ninny and her 4 grandchildren.

Ninny and her 3 grandboys.

Avery makes his hot tub debut (well, at least his feet do).

An audience at lunchtime.

Avery and his possee playing with his new lawnmower.

"whisper...whisper...whisper..."

"MAN, I've got some good dirt on Daddy!!!"

Avery and his Aunt Kelly.

Special time with cousin Eli.

"Yay, mountains are fun!!"