Just in Time for What Should Be His First Birthday

His First Steps!!!!  I never knew what to officially call his "first steps".  Was it that one half-stumble he took going from the table to the couch?  I didn't think so, but he went from half-stumbles to 4-5 steps in a row in about a day, so I never knew what to officially call the first steps.  Regardless, he is starting to really trust himself and walking a lot more!  Now, instead of immediately dropping to his hands and knees to get somewhere, he will actually walk until he looses his balance and then crawl the rest of the way!  I'll get it on video really soon I promise!

His First Word!!!  I was getting really worried because not only was he not saying any words, but we wasn't even trying to say any words.  That was the only 12 month milestone he hadn't hit yet.  And then, out of nowhere, he started saying his first word!  And it is....  (drum roll please...)  DUCKY!!!!!!  He has this little rubber ducky (that actually isn't rubber - it's a stress ball) that he is currently obsessed with.  He takes it absolutely everywhere with him!  Jake was convinced he was trying to say ducky, but I was skeptical, until today at the beach.  We went to get some sun and play in the water (I just love living 1 mile away from some of the best beaches in the world!) and Jaden saw some of the birds on the beach (like seagulls but not quite) and said, in the clearest tiny voice ever, what was unmistakably, Ducky!  Apparently all birds are duckies to him.  Love it!  He says it more like duh-dee so you think it would be a simple transition to daddy, but not yet.  It's only a matter of time though!

His First Tooth!!!  Yes, it FINALLY made it's little appearance!  Right when I had given up all hope, it poked its sharp little head through!  He doesn't like to let me look at it or feel it, but I'm the mom, so he'll just have to put up with me!  At dinner tonight I tried to get a good shot of his tooth but it's hard to see because it literally JUST broke through, so I used a little editing magic to help you out!

If you squint really hard, you can see it!  And if you are someone who REALLY cares (a.k.a. grandma's and grandpa's), you can click on the picture to make it really big!  I love being a new mom and getting so excited about Every Single Little Thing!!!