Atlas' Outer Space Themed First Birthday Smash Cake Session
I have been thinking about this blog for months now. It’s been so hard to bring myself to write this, partly because it’s emotional and partly because I can’t possibly fathom how to sum up the last year of my life.
My baby is one. ONE.
One year ago, my life changed forever. I met this sweet little boy who I’ve been dreaming of my whole life. I’ve loved him for a very long time, but one year ago today, I met him. The second I saw his face, I cried. I’ve never felt anything like that moment in my entire life. It’s overwhelming joy beyond comprehension. It’s where every single thing in the world disappeared and I was there with Atlas in my arms. It was a dream come true. It didn’t matter that I was up all night or how worn down my body was. I just couldn’t believe he was in the world with us and how lucky I was to have him.
This year has been a rollercoaster to say the least. I’ve gone through the highest highs and lowest lows. I’ve grown as a human, a mother, a wife, a friend, a woman. I wasn’t prepared for how difficult this journey has been, but also how incredible this journey has been. This kid makes me smile every single day. He is such a joy to have around and watching him grow has been the absolute best!
This past week has been an extra emotional one as I was reflecting on the past year. It brought a lot of mixed emotions and I found myself crying happy tears one minute and then tears of sadness the next. I’ve been looking through photos from a year ago and re-reading the blog posts. While Atlas’ journey into the world was pretty wonderful, both of our journey’s afterwards were really rough. I hope my mind and body never feels quite the way it did in the weeks after Atlas was born, but I’m so glad I documented that season of our lives. It really allows me to be grateful for where we are now, because we’ve come so far! It makes the sweet times just that much sweeter, that’s for sure, especially when he accomplishes a new skill.
Here are some of his milestones:
Rolled from back to belly at three months
Started sitting up at five months
Started saying dada at five months (his first word, of course)
Started crawling at seven months
Started climbing at seven months
Started walking on furniture at eight months
Started walking on his own at ten months
Now he flies around the house like a wild man, walking from room to room and usually carrying some type of toy. He is a dancing machine and LOVES music. He’s also super chatty and is constantly talking. He waves, he claps, he plays musical instruments. He enjoys feeding himself with his hands or a spoon. HE IS NONSTOP - such a busy body and constantly is moving and doing something. He is absolutely exhausting :P He doesn’t watch too much tv but loves Rick and Morty, Impractical Jokers and Moana, with Moana definitely being his favorite thing right now. He shakes his booty to the movie soundtrack and is even trying to sing the songs now. It’s adorable to watch! Justin Timberlake is another one of his favorites, particularly Can’t Stop the Feeling (duhhh), even though we’ve never seen Trolls. He LOVES reading his books. He loves his puppies. He loves his stuffed animals and hugs them at least once a day. Never have I ever met a more loving, sweet baby than this little boy.
He FINALLY has some teeth (six to be exact). Being outside and riding his tricycle is one of this favorite past times. He’s also super obsessed with other kids and babies. He’s usually shy when he meets other people, but when he sees a child, he chats and smiles and laughs like crazy! We’re very much looking forward to when the quarantine is over so we can have play dates in the park!
Sure, we’re in some really weird times right now and I’m absolutely heartbroken that we have to postpone Atlas’ first birthday party. He definitely won’t still fit in his groovy space clothes by the time his party rolls around, but I’m glad we got to take some super fun photos at home for his birthday!
Of course, a birthday during this strange times in our lives sure isn’t the same without a quarantine birthday photo. Covid-19 has done a lot of bad, but we certainly are making the most of our time together. Plus, once you get your toilet paper, it’s actually pretty fun to play with. Atlas and Meat will definitely agree.
A walk down memory lane.
Well, this wouldn’t be a first birthday blog without some other photos from the past year! Look how tiny Atlas was - 6lb 4oz and 19.5 inches at birth, and now he’s a 22lb big boy (cue tears).
Thank you to my dear friend Christie Leigh Photo for the Fresh 48, newborn and family photos! They still tug at my heart strings and absolutely will for the rest of my life!
