Tanner is One!

Tanner’s birthday, on November 13th, is just nine days after his brother’s.  In some ways it feels like Tanner has been in our family longer than a year, but in other ways it is hard to believe he is one already!  For the most part, Tanner is a happy, independent baby.  He likes to laugh and smile at people.  He loves playing Pat-A-Cake and Peek-A-Boo.  Being carried by his sister and tackling his brother are also some of his favorites!
  

He also loves attention.  If ever he feels we are ignoring him at dinner time, he will let out short, abrupt yells until we start talking to him again. 

Speaking of dinner time, this kid loves to eat!  He is definitely my best eater yet!  Most of the time he has eaten more and finished before his brother and sister at dinner time.  His very favorites are grapes, broccoli, pasta with red sauce, and muffins.  It is rare that he will turn away a food item.  If his siblings have a snack in the car, he will start to scream at them until they share.  With his love for food, he weighed in at 22 lbs. 8.5 oz (72nd percentile) and measured 30.25 inches (73rd percentile) at his one year doctor visit. 
 
Tanner loves music and sometimes I think he has better rhythm than I do.  He has also always been really loud.  Laughing, talking, screaming, crying… everything:  all LOUD.  Not only does he look like my dad, but I think he takes after him in a few other ways as well… 

Tanner didn’t start out as a cuddler, but we quickly converted him.  Now he is very good at hugs and snuggles.  It is a good thing, because he is super squishy and so fun to squeeze! 
 
I wanted to make a special cake for my special boy’s first birthday.  It took me awhile to decide, but I finally opted to make a sailboat cake, with reference to him being born in the USA. 
 

We started his birthday celebration with presents.  We put them in a pile and let him go for it.  It didn’t take long for Jade and Ridge to jump in and help out! 
  
 
This boy loves his daddy.  And going upside down.  The combination of the two makes for a very happy Tanner! 

Tanner was thrilled with all the attention he was getting.  Well, at least until Jade and Ridge went in for hugs!
  
 
Tanner is definitely a fan of cake. 


A couple big milestones occurred right around Tanner’s 1st birthday.  He learned to go down the steps before his birthday and took his first steps right after. 

Here is a video of him going down the steps.  I was more than happy to remove the annoying gates! 

Unlike my other children, Tanner didn’t want me to help him learn to walk.  When I would give him my fingers to hold onto, he was uninterested.  He was determined to figure it out on his own.  His first steps came by standing up from the ground and stepping.  I guess that is the independent third child for you!  It has been a gradual progression from there.  Now he is walking more than crawling and has the bumps on his head to prove it!  Here is a video of Tanner’s progression from taking steps to walking.  It starts on November 15, 2014 and ends on December 13, 2014. 

Oh, how I love this third child of mine!  My life is that much more fulfilling with him in it!