Watts Family: Letter to Jarom: 12 Months

Dear Jarom,

Happy Birthday! Today you are one whole year old! When you woke up this morning we sang you a Primary birthday song that starts, "You've had a birthday" and you loved it! I don't think you grasp the whole birthday thing yet but you sure will enjoy all your new toys. We're having your birthday party tomorrow so you'll get most of your gifts then but we did let you play with the bongo drums Grandma and Grandpa Watts bought you and you sure are liking those.

This month has been so fun! You are walking really well now it seems like you've always been doing it. Maybe it's because you're walking now but you've become very independent and you get frustrated when you can't do things by yourself. Feeding is starting to become a very independent thing for you. Sometimes I'll be feeding you and you'll turn your head away and won't eat anything until I give you the spoon so you can feed yourself. What a mess! And the other night daddy and I had ice cream cones and you got so mad and wouldn't eat any of the ice cream unless we let you hold the cone! You throw temper tantrums when you don't get your way and arch your back and throw your head back on the floor. It's very charming.

You are so funny too though. Your favorite thing to do is slide off the bed feet first. Sometimes you'll hold yourself halfway on the bed so your feet are dangling and you're starting to slide but you'll grip the covers with all your might so you can just hang there suspended for a minute. And you think it's the most fun thing ever. The other night (after the ice cream incident) we put you in the bathtub and you put your face down in the water and came back up grinning. You just kept doing it like you were bobbing for apples or something.

This past month you went on your first road trip. We went down to New Mexico to visit Grandma and Grandpa Watts. You had a fever on the way down and weren't feeling good and I felt so bad that we had to keep you strapped in your carseat for 9 hours. You were fussy but all things considering, you did very well. And on the way back up we barely even knew you were in the backseat. You slept a lot and when you were awake you just played with your toys and talked to them. You're becoming very clingy to your blankets now too. Good thing we rotate them daily so you don't become attached to just one. But you'll carry your blanket around the house with you and sometimes get upset if we try to take it away from you so food doesn't get on it when you're eating.

You also had your first haircut just last week. We took you to Mr Roger and you did really good. I think it's because you liked his mustache! And I must say, you look so much better with your hair cut. I can't believe we let it grow out so long. You are even more adorable now.