Happy 1st Birthday Chunky Monkey!!!

Wow - I can hardly believe it has been a year since Brett Casey Ayotte was born! I used to roll my eyes a little when I heard people say things like - and then I had babies and realized somehow the birth of a child makes the clock spin far faster than it ever did before. During this first year, Brett has developed into quite the little character. Here are some of my favorite things, and memories, about Brett:

• Brett's arrival in this world was an adventure. Nothing about it seemed easy. He chose to not come out on time, then when he finally decided it was time to meet the world, he caused quite a stir. From my water breaking in the McDonald's playland to Brett requiring a suction to get his big noggin out, he was anything but typical. That set the stage for Brett's personality!
• Poor Brett spent the first weeks of his life crying, sleeping, crying, eating, crying, crying, and crying. My poor little guy had a belly ache from an intolerance to milk. But despite his pain and discomfort, he still remained cuddly, if not always happy. And once we figured out how to make his belly feel better, the happiness just radiated from him!
• Brett has always been a huge blankie boy. When he was a baby, he had to be wrapped up in a blanket to go to sleep. In fact, we were wrapping him up all the way until the weather got warmer! By then he had attached himself to a few smaller blankies, which he still adores. If he sees one of his blankies on the floor, he will get a huge grin, pick it up, and smash it right into his face!
• Brett is the cuddliest baby I have ever known. I absolutely adore that he will be playing with something, stop, walk over to me, and just throw himself into a cuddle with me for a minute, then go back to playing.
• While it can drive me crazy when I am trying to get something done, I still love that Brett is a complete Mama's Boy. The way his face lights up when I walk in a room makes me happier than anything else can!
• Brett has been an early walker and, being such a chunk, looks like Frankenstein when he walks. It is hilarious.
• Brett is so stubborn and has a level of focus I have ever seen in a baby. Which basically means, if he wants something he can't have, he will make life hell for anyone near him. He will try everything to get it and will not be distracted by anything. Redirecting does not work on Brett. I don't know if he is too smart for it or too stubborn for it, but either way, the world better watch out when he wants something because there will be no stopping him.
• Brett loves to make people laugh. He is such a goofball and I think he already knows it. He has figured out he has an audience at the dinner table and will do the goofiest things to get a laugh out of us. When he usually succeeds at doing!

Brett is most definitely the funniest, cuddliest, most determined baby boy. But he manages to make me smile every single day. Happy Birthday my little Chunky Monkey!!