ONE YEAR!!

At this time last year, I was at the hospital, drugged out of my mind snuggled next to a pink faced, wriggly little creature named Collin.

I'd love to give you a thesis statement of what I've learned so far as a parent. Something neat and tight that explains it all but that's just not gonna happen. Parenthood is more exhausting, more challenging and more rewarding than I could've imagined. The romantic notion I had as a little girl playing with my "baby", rocking him gently to sleep, teaching him while he cooed and smiled, met reality with a screaming, pooping, constantly needing baby. Part of me feels lobotomized by motherhood. It's hard not to lose yourself when you're no longer independent. Now you're someone's mother. It's the most important job I'll ever have and it's easy to forget about what once mattered so much. But without Collin, life would be muted.

Having a child has inspired me to try and make the world a better place little by little (cheesy as it sounds). B.C., I didn't care so much about stuff like sustainability, reusable grocery bags, organic foods. But when I look at him, I want there to be something good tomorrow. So even if it's as small as composting, getting the "hippie bags" and making regular visits to the farmer's market, I figure maybe it'll leave some sort of impression.

Most of all, I've learned to try and see things through Collin's eyes. Little pleasures in life are too often forgotten. With Collin, everything is bright and new and he soaks it all in. The reflection of light bouncing from the window brings a huge smile across his face, or a waterfall causes a look of complete awe.

I know this is just a small preview of what's to come (and physically I imagine one of the most difficult parts of parenthood). Hopefully we're a little prepared now. A little wiser...I wish I had some sage words of wisdom I could give away to someone who wants to know what it's like to be a parent. But it's like my mom always told me. It will be nothing like you thought. And it'll be a different experience for everyone.

Now onto the Birthday Boy. Here's what I had to say of Collin's likes and dislikes in those early, early days:

Likes:
Nipples (sadly, he has discovered that only mom's leads to a result)

Being held

Snuggling with mom and dad in bed

Swaddling

The swing

Mirrors

Sleeping

Peeing on mom and dad when we change him

Dislikes:
Being changed

Clothing

The act of swaddling

Sponge baths

Now to the comparisons:

Likes:
Trying to leap off the bed and attack the lights (days of co-sleeping are long, gone)

Food, lots and lots of food. Collin will eat just about anything now so long as it's not too spicy. His favorites are chicken, turkey, cheese, garden burgers, pasta (especially spaghetti), bread, potatoes (especially sweet potatoes), any kind of fruit (especially blueberries!) He's also taken to milk which is much cheaper than formula thankfully!

Playing! He's starting to stack, he loves throwing toys and riding in his firetruck with help. Being swung by mom and dad. His toys that make noise, his blocks, magnets. He's already good at sharing with his friends at daycare.
Music. He's starting to rock to the beat. We're not big kiddie music people so he gets to listen to classic rock, alternative/indie, folk and classical.

Books. He throws his favorites on our lap (loves Where is Baby's Belly Button)

Bath time is not like the initial sponge baths we attempted...He has his own ducky tub and splashes and grabs onto his toys (and err his other favorite toy that is attached permanently).

Mirrors are still a big hit. Collin is a ham!

Walks in the stroller. He will completely chill and mellow out. He likes to look around and take in everything.

Blue Dog: His stuffed animal courtesy of Uncle Devin is his best friend. He chews on him, sleeps with him soundly and likes to bring him everywhere. Blue also starts to smell pretty funky so finding a way to clean him without upsetting the wee one can be a bit of a challenge...

Dislikes:
Being by himself...Definitely gregarious, Collin loves to play with others. Leaving him alone while you're say trying to do something as offensive as cook dinner will result in banshee screams.

Being changed. Still not a fan of this one although he doesn't scream every time. Forcing a shirt over his head can also be like torture to Collin. It's now his favorite "game" to crawl away super fast while you try to put an outfit or diaper on him.

That's about it. He's a very happy guy, though dramatic (payback says my mom). I think we'll be dealing with a high energy tot. Yet he's also very sweet. I'm confident we're raising a kind little person who will face the world head-on.