The Herndon Herald: The Business of Being...Levi

Well I've been hanging around this world for TWELVE MONTHS now and here's what I think about things so far...That's right folks, I'm ONE YEAR OLD!

I started this month off with some crazy teething. I have 8 teeth now that have fully come in. I ran a fever and everything. It was so bad this month, that Mom actually bought some cherry flavored stuff that helps numb my gums. I like that stuff. It really dulls the pain. Getting teeth is NO joke let me tell you! I have also started brushing me teeth. I got this really fun banana tooth brush for Christmas and I love it. Mom even started putting a tiny bit of toothpaste after the doctor told her to go ahead.

I am using those all my nice new teeth to eat, eat, eat. I love chicken chili. It is so delicious! I am also obsessed with fruit. Mom and Dad threw me a Very Hungry Caterpillar party for my first birthday and you'd think I was a caterpillar as much as I love apples, tangerines, bananas and grapes. I also love bread and pasta of course...what person doesn't...and I'm Italian, so it's in my blood. I've become pretty interested in utensils lately. I try to use spoons and forks, but I have yet to master it. Plates and bowls are another thing, I would rather use them as a toy and spill whatever is on them rather than let them contain my food, so I'm still eating from my highchair tray and Mom got this cool suction place mat for when we're out since I keep trying to toss the plates on the floor. I don't know why she won't let me. The Greek do it when they're excited and it looks like fun! Oh well.

In Levi fashion, I got to travel again this month. Mom and I headed back to Virginia for a couple exciting parties. We threw a baby shower for Mommy's friend Amanda in Northern VA who is having twins. We got to hang out at Amanda and Andrew's house the night before the shower and I was so excited about my soon to arrive new friends that I didn't go to sleep until almost 11pm. I was a party animal. I thought the party was already started, no one filled me in on the fact that is was actually the next day. The next morning we decorated for the party with all sorts of cute Two Peas in a Pod themed stuff and celebrated Madison and Austin. I was the only boy at the party, but even I had fun. How cool would it be to come into the world with a best friend.

Then later that afternoon, Mom and I drove to Richmond for Aunt Haley and Uncle Justin's gender reveal party. Mom was sure they were having a girl, but guess what?!? I'm going to have another boy bud!!! I am so excited! We are going to have SO MUCH FUN when we hang out. Just wait till me and Liam and the younger guys are old enough to explore at the cabin! Better bring extra clothes Mama because we're all going to be wet from the creek like when Tati was little. I can't wait to meet my new buddy Aunt Haley!

I have also become really comfortable with all of my grandparents. I mean I did get to hang out with them a bunch at Christmas and then I was back for another week long visit a few weeks later. As soon as I see them, I reach for them and want to say hi. They really like that. They all came for my birthday too, so I've gotten to see them a lot and I love it! We're all spoiled. My next visit will be California when Nana and Papa come along and then a spring break visit with Grandma and Grandpop. Of course I see them all weekly on the computer and I'm getting more excited about that too.

So last month's big news was my first steps...well I am walking EVERYWHERE now! I LOVE WALKING and I'm getting pretty good at it. I hardly ever crawl. I'm not running yet, but I'm working on my speed. Watching these Olympics are giving me a need for speed. Watch out Mama and Dada, I'm going to be running before you know it. PROMISE! For now I'll enjoy the cheers and claps as I toddle around.

My favorite words are still dada and mama and I am finally saying both pretty regularly. I've also made it pretty clear that I know who's who. This month I've also started practicing all sorts of other sounds like Nnnnn and Bbbbb. I babble all the time. A friend from our small group is always saying what an extravert I seem to be like Mama. I've also learned to scream, not sure where I picked that up, but it's lots of fun. Lately I've also started pointing and making noises to communicate when I want something. Mama keeps using the words then as she gives me what I've asked for. Don't worry Mama I'll be talking too before you know it.

I'm FINALLY sleeping through the night. It only took 11 months and a couple tough nights where I had to fuss a little. It was just so much fun waking up around 4am for a quick hello with Mom, but I guess those days are gone since she didn't come in to say hi, so I guess I might as well stay asleep. I wake up pretty consistently at 6:40 in the morning, but then I snooze till 8 with Mom and Dad. I'm still a bit of a stinker when it comes to naps though. I hate going to sleep, but I do get cranky so I guess I still need a couple naps a day though Mama has tried one nap days to see if I'd sleep any longer. I still slept an hour and fifteen minutes, so we're back to two naps since I still get sleepy in the morning.

The month wrapped up with my birthday celebrations. Nana came to town earlier in my birthday week and baked me a vanilla cake with chocolate frosting. I loved seeing the candle! Mom made me pancakes to kick off my special day and we did some shopping because I needed a spot to keep my new birthday toys. Mama got a cool shelf thing to keep my toys in the living room. The rest of my grandparents, Tati and Uncle Chris got in town for my birthday weekend and helped get everything ready for my party. Like I mentioned earlier, I had a Very Hungry Caterpillar party and it was really fun. So many of my friends and my parents' friends came to celebrate my special day. I could tell it was all about me and I was in such a good mood the day of my party. I napped well and was ready to party. I had 12 little friends at the party and we played with my new toys from Christmas and enjoyed all the party food. Then everyone sang Happy Birthday to me and Mama gave me a red cake (the Caterpillar's head). I was a little tentative and didn't dive into my cake, but it was fun to touch the icing. It was so sticky! I'd never felt anything like it. I'm told this cake stuff will really grow on me. I felt so loved by everyone who came out to celebrate. Even my Great Uncle Victor made a surprise trip from Pennsylvania with our cousin Maryann for my party. It was really nice to spend some time with them since I'd only gotten to hang out with them briefly at Tati's wedding really.

Thanks everyone for all the love, support and excitement this year for both me and my parents. It has been an amazing year and I have a feeling things will only continue to get more and more interesting!