GTB IS ONE!!!!! That’s right, he’s currently one year, one week, two days, and counting. We’re amazed and thankful that GTB has survived an entire year…in tact…and proud that our parenting skills haven’t seemed to damage or scar him..too much…yet. He is one of the craziest, most fun kids I’ve ever met, although, in true Engstrom fashion, he is stubborn to the core. He’s 20% in both height and weight, but our tank is absolutely as solid as a rock, and we’re pretty convinced that if we haven’t broken him by now, he’s probably unbreakable. His front middle teeth finally grew in and now he looks like a toddler with a big toothy grin…although his snaggle teeth aren’t much to look at 🙂 His hair is getting thicker, and the mullet that he sported for the better part of the last year is finally gone. He is virtually fearless, and loves all things fast, messy, violent, destructive, and loud. He loves to be thrown across the room (literally) or from one person to another. He’s ticklish everywhere, laughs at everything (or more accurately, he chuckles/cackles in his low gravelly voice), he smiles at strangers, woos crowds wherever we go, and loves to cuddle. He flirts with all the little girls he sees out and about and even tries to hug them while they’re chillin’ in their carseats (ask Lanie…). In contrast, he tries to tackle all the little boys he sees. He makes the most realistic animal sounds I’ve ever heard from a kid (you should hear his lion…its incredible). He says most things in a loud, low gutteral voice, but he says “hi” and “dog” in a sweet cute voice. He loves to sit in his new giraffe chair and watch tv, he loves to read books, he loves to play in his new sandbox, he loves to push his cars. He’s figuring out how to build with legos and blocks although he would much rather throw them (his favorite activity is throwing everything he can pick up). He loves to grab people’s noses, stick his fingers in people’s mouths, and pull on the dog’s eyelashes (poor Sari). He loves all things dog. He loves cell phones and telephones and has been known to call his grandma, a Spanish speaking lady, a man at 233-3332, Noah’s friend Mike, and once a guy named Chris returned GTB’s call. He likes cheese, bananas, yogurt, grapes, pizza, french fries, and everything else one-year-olds probably shouldn’t have. He knows that he wants to drink whatever is in the aluminum can even though he’s never tried it (although he did try DP out of cup once…I’ll post that video soon). He has made his artistic debut, and we have several original GTB’s hanging in our kitchen, including the noteworthy drawing, “Rainbow Spaghetti.” He plays on playscapes all by himself and has figured out he can climb up the ladder and go down the slide without help…its a little unnerving when he lands head first in the sand at the bottom but he always laughs and does it again. He melts our hearts, wears us out, makes us laugh, occasionally causes tears of frustration and exhaustion (well, mostly OTown), livens our spirits, stirs us to love, keeps us on our toes, sharpens our minds, quickens our wit, and brings us deep, incredible joy. He is a blessing we cherish from the Lord, and we pray that he grows into a boy who loves Jesus and then into a man who fears the Lord.
At this point, you’re probably thinking that I should stop rambling on about GTB and finally post a few pictures. After all, you’ve been reading our blog for over a year…what more could OTown possibly have to say about GTB you ask??? Just post some pictures already!! Well, I have good news for you. This is part one of many birthday blast posts that will be debuting in the coming week, and there will be pictures, pictures, and more pictures. If you’ve ever read the blog Stuff White People Like (see our blogroll), you’ll appreciate the fact that there is a similar blog entitled Stuff White Parents Like (incidentally, there is also Stuff Stick Figure People Like and Stuff Educated Black People Like). Anyway, entry #6 on Stuff White Parents Like: Ridiculous 1st Birthday Parties. I found I fit the mold.
Stay tuned for the adventures of one-year-old GTB….
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An Elephant and a Mouse 