Dear Ari...
Dear Ari,
Today is your very first birthday…you are one whole year old! We can’t believe it’s already been a year. And at the same time we can’t believe it’s only been a year.
On this day one year ago we welcomed your adorable dimply face into the world. Your entry into our lives was such a classic representation of who you have become. You took your time and waited until you were ready, showed us you were really in charge, and then made a grand entrance. We call this “Classic Ari”.
We had our challenges in those early days, and the first few months that followed. We were trying to figure out how to be parents, and you were just figuring out how to be. You loved being held so much that you wouldn’t let anyone put you down. You didn’t want to miss anything that was going on, so you never slept for more than 20 minutes. You loved being walked up and down the stairs, bouncing on a yoga ball, and being sung to non-stop. Day and night. But after that first month, when you showed us your beautiful smile, we knew that it would all be worth it. In the second month, when you shared your infectious giggle with us, we really fell in love. And so did so many other people who took the time to come and meet you.
After the first 3 months, we really started to get to know each other. You became better at communicating with us, and we became better at understanding you. We learned how much you love to eat and you really started to thrive. We went on lots of adventures where you got to explore the cottage, the boat, and downtown Toronto. We had so much to celebrate all summer long, from auntie Jordi’s wedding to Zaidee’s 90th birthday, and you kept surprising us with your patience and resilience. Just when we thought we had pushed you past your limit, you rose to the occasion and handled it like a champ. Classic Ari.
Around 6 months, you were thrilled to be sitting up all by yourself, and we were expecting you to crawl at any point. But much like how you arrived into this world, you had your own agenda. You were crawling in your sleep but had no inclination when you were awake. However, you practiced and practiced, and when you did finally decide to get moving, there was no stopping you. Within 24 hours of crawling, you were bravely climbing the stairs all by yourself. You took your time until you were ready and then excelled at the task at hand. Classic Ari. During this time your personality really started to shine. You became so animated, clapping along to songs, and making “hooray” arms, getting reactions from the people around you from your infectious personality, contagious giggle and sparkly eyes.
In these past few months, you have really transformed from being our little baby into becoming a little boy. You continue to let us know who’s boss by showing us your independence and determination. You are an excellent sleeper (thank goodness) and, while you’ve recently become quite picky, you still love to eat. You know what you like, and what you don’t, as you clearly tell us with a turn of your head or your animated baby sign language. You are full of energy and bounce around the room like a pinball, curious and always ready to explore. You still have the best laugh, the dimpliest smile and the sparkliest eyes.
What we’ve learned about you is that you know what you want, you do things when you’re ready, and you’re always going to surprise us. Just when we think that we’ve reached the best part, you continue to show us that it keeps getting better. Classic Ari.
Happy birthday little lion.
We love you,
Mama & Dadadada
