Bryce is one. Holy cow, Bryce is one. This has been the weirdest year. I know they say that the first year goes so fast, and it really does, but this year has not only gone fast it has been WEIRD.

The craziness

Bryce came home to Nolan having been diagnosed with influenza. We did a 24 hour release because we wanted to be home for Easter. Daddy was home for paternity leave for the summer and we went somewhere almost every day. We flew to South Carolina twice, once for my brother’s wedding and once to take care of my father who had surgery for his newly diagnosed cancer. We spent 2 weeks living in my dad’s house while he recovered from surgery. Between his siblings’ schedules, he lived in the car almost every day. Then, right before his first birthday we were hit with a pandemic and he celebrated his first birthday in shelter at home.

Bryce learned to crawl at 7.5 months, walk just before 11 months. He loves being able to keep up with his siblings and get into trouble. He is not as verbal and doesn’t do as much sign as they did, but he is still right on track for development. His favorite thing to do is get into trouble.

Bryce still has his umbilical hernia, developed a secondary hernia. Both are rather common, typically close on their own, and need to be monitored that they stay soft, there is not pain, and no redness. As long as it stays as it is, currently surgery would be simply cosmetic.

Bryce is dairy sensitive but not allergic, is in the 4% for height and weight but remains on the curve, and was given a clean bill of health.

Bryce was FINALLY sleeping through the night or only getting up quick one time since his first birthday. We were just getting into the swing of sleep. And then a week later, he was up for 3-4 hours screaming. He was inconsolable, he was not able to be put down, and he just wanted to nurse constantly. All of those things were Stella’s tell-tale signs of an ear infection so 9 days after his wellness visit, we ended up back in the doctor. Not a fun time to be at the doctor with a sick kid-let alone a coughing one but we survived. It was possible that it was an ear infection, but not full blown. They also didn’t want us to come back in so they prescribed antibiotic but told us to hold off on filling it. She also noted that attempting a small amount of dairy could have been the source of the pain so she suggested stepping back on even trying it at all for a while.

Mom did our own 1 year photos

Photo backdrop

vines:

Photo flooring is one sheet of wainscotting purchased from a Menards.

Digital Party

Due to Covid-19, we had to have Bryce’s party digitally. We celebrated with an “It’s unbeLEAFable you’re ONE!” theme.We did a Zoom meeting with happy birthday, cake smash, and opening a couple presents.

Routine

• Wake 5am to nurse, go back to sleep.
• Wake 6:45 with brother
• 7:30 Breakfast (what ever his siblings are eating/ate)
• Play (3 hour wake time)
• Nurse, Zippy, Nap 9:30-11:30
• Car to pick up Nolan 11:45-12:15
• Lunch (whatever his siblings are eating/ate)
• Play (3 hour wake time)
• Nurse, Zippy, Nap 3-5
• Dinner (whatever his siblings are eating)
• Play (3 hour wake time)
• 7 Start bed routine
  • Diaper
  • Pjs
  • Vitamin D (not drinking whole milk yet)
  • Brush Teeth
  • Read with siblings
  • Pray with Siblings
  • Tuck in siblings
  • Zippy
  • Nurse
• 8 asleep

Eat

We did a little purees and cereal, but quickly moved to baby led weaning. We do local organic purees (LittleFoodCo) in a refillable squeeze pouch simply because he likes them.

Bryce eats everything we do. He loves hot dogs, chicken nuggets, meat balls, shredded beef, all fruit, any veggies we give him, and pasta. We haven’t really found anything he doesn’t like. Don’t you dare have a plate of food and not offer him a bite.

Bryce is able to have any foods with dairy in it, he is just not able to have straight up milk. We have tried mixing it and it has still been unsuccessful. As mentioned above, Bryce loves all the proteins so we went with almond milk so he and Nolan can share. He still mostly drinks water and loves it. He loves to steal his brother and sister’s mio enhanced water as well.

Nursing

We (Bryce & I) have decided to do extended breast feeding. Bryce is small, not drinking cow’s milk, never developed a strong attachment to a bottle, my supply is fine, I am home with him and do not need to pump, and he is still doing it. We have no plan in place for when to stop, but plan on just going with the flow.

Just for reference, I stopped nursing Nolan at 12 months because I was returning to work, did not want to pump, and Nolan liked cows milk. I stopped nursing Stella at 14 months because she self weaned and was drinking cow’s milk.

Items that help us do it

Bryce has had the craziest year leaving me wondering what the heck happened to the last year, but it is here! He is an amazing, loving, funny 1 year old. Here are some things we are currently loving!

Play

Feeding/Drinking

Kid’s Table

Teething/Health

Sleep

The zipadee-zip is a huge sleep cue for Bryce (and has been for all 3 kids) They no longer need it for the swaddle transition, but they know when they wear it ,it is time for bed. Bryce is 18 lbs and in a medium.

Bryce still sleeps in a nest, completely opened up and tied pulled in. He likes the smaller space, when he is on a whole mattress he continually wakes crawling to the sides looking for something to lean on. We purchased ours from Mercari (Sign up for Mercari and get $10 off your first purchase. Here’s my invitation link) but more options are available from MadeinMinneSEWta-Etsy.

Shoes

For the other kids, we used Robeeze or MorningStar leather bottomed shoes. I could not find those for Bryce, so I went in search at target. The exact shoes he wears are sold out, but this is the same brand/type. They are softer than regular tennis shoes but harder than leather. They did take some adjusting to for him, but he is now enjoying them.