The Cheeseburger

I realized the other day that Isaac has undergone sever "second-child-itis". By this I mean that his first year of life has been sadly under-represented in pictures, blog posts, and the sharing of teeny details with the world. For this, I apologize, to Isaac and to the world! Nobody should miss out on the adorable things that come out of this child every day!!

In an attempt to redeem myself as a decent mother, blogger, and human being, I will try to put as much as I can remember into this post. Right here, right now!

Isaac hasn't been going to regular dr's appointments like Scott, because we haven't started doing his immunizations, so there is no need to pay a copay just to find out what he weighs... so I don't know all his stats for every 2 months of the past year. I'm not sad about this. Isaac is a healthy, HAPPY, busy baby, and I am confident that everything he is doing is "on track" and "expected" for his age and development. No need for a Dr to confirm!
One thing I did discuss with a Dr when I took Isaac in for a check up when he was around 6 months is his speech. Isaac's tongue tie seemed to be keeping him from speaking, or rather from making ANY NOISE AT ALL! We called him "Ninja Baby" because he was so quiet, and so fast, that he would disappear into the house and I would have to send out a search and rescue to find him (almost always happily playing with a toy, in no danger at all)
The Dr suggested that I go to a feeding specialist, to see if there was anything to be done. I went home, thought about it, and decided I didn't need to pay a feeding specialist. Isaac ate just fine! I started researching speech therapists, and it was during this time that Isaac found his voice. So, no Dr's for him. Isaac SCREAMS at the top of his lungs when anything isn't just the way he likes it. Hunger, boredom, sleepiness, you name it! He stuck with the scream for a LONG time, and paid no mind to our attempts at teaching sign language. He would just smile and laugh when we "got it right" and showed the sign for what he meant. It has only been in the last month that Isaac has #1 really found his tongue and started to stick it out of his mouth and #2 using signs, waving, clapping and using his hands to communicate.
I believe this has nothing to do with development, and everything to do with stubborn. If he can't do it perfect, he's just not gonna do it at all! Because as soon as he started, he nailed it all FAST!
Tongue:

Right now, Isaac is on the VERGE of walking. In the past week, he has taken 2 steps four times, Twice towards his dad, and twice towards nothing in particular. He is getting more brave, and more willing to just stand (although he gets bored quick and wants to get moving!) He blows kisses, gives kisses, does a fishy face, knows where his ears are, claps, waves, points at you and says "doo" (Dude, as his dad and brother taught him... from Finding Nemo), will smile his cheesy smile if you say "SMILE" or "say cheese!", and his dad is currently teaching him to open his mouth WIDE when we say "hungry hippo" i.e.: . He is also learning to say more, all done, food, and milk in sign language, as well as saying the words "up" and "more". He knows to go feet first off of things, and loves to climb up and down and all around! One of his favorite games is "peek a boo" and he will cover and uncover his head all day with a blanket as long as you are there to yell "boo!" every time he peeks!

Isaac and his brother have recently become fast friends. Scott loves to have Isaac come in his room and play in his bed, and Isaac is a willing participant. They laugh and wrestle and bounce, and when it gets too rough and Isaac wants out, Scott is never happy that it's over. Maybe one day he will learn to be more gentle so the fun can go on! Isaac putters all over the house with his walker, and his favorite place besides Scott's bed is the tupperware cupboard. It's like an insta-fort! One of my favorite little things about Isaac is his pinchers. He uses his thumb and pointer finger like tweezers to pick up everything. He is so precise and focused, and it's how he has always done it! Definitely an "Isaac-ism". He also tugs on his ears A LOT! For the longest time, we thought he had an earache, or he was tired... but he just likes his ears. They are like little handles attached right to the side of his own head. So convenient.

Over the past 11 months, Isaac has collected a slew of nicknames. They include: Beaker, Ninja, Cheeseburger (the most common, and the picture below is why), Cheesy-man, Cheese, Cheddar, Bubs, Inigo Montoya, Isaac-baby, love-bug, and given by his big brother "Isaac the Smoosher".

Since it has been discovered that I am not keeping the world updated on my little cheeser as much as I should or would like to, I would like to tell you all that he is THE BEST! Nothing in this life beats the joy that my family brings to my life, and this little man is no exception. Every day he learns or discovers something new, and just watching him grown and learn is a blessing! I can't BELIEVE he is turning one in a month!! I love you, my little Isaac-baby!