Favorite First Year Memories: Quinn

• Seeing your face for the first time. Dr. W held you up so I could see you over the sheet, and my first words were, "Oh, what a big boy!" Your cheeks were fuller than Banner's had been, and you were much pinker than he was at birth. You peed all over the nurse - at least 5 times! - while she was trying to clean, measure, and wrap you. When I finally got to hold you, I stroked your left cheek and talked to you. To this day, you kind of calm down when I gently stroke your cheeks
• When you latched so nicely. I was worried about breastfeeding you, but you did great right away. (I later decided not to breastfeed because it wasn't going well on one side and when the pain and exhaustion set in - and when I decided nursing a newborn while tending to a toddler would be horrific, but those first few feeds were perfect.) I completely understand why women enjoy nursing if it works well for them, because I loved when you latched well.
• Your first smile. We were in Mommy & Daddy's bedroom, and you smirked at me a few times in a row. Daddy saw it. I got your first smile.
• Dancing/swaying with you to Buble's "Home" in our play room.
• Our RSV overnight - just the two of us while Daddy was in San Antonio and Banner was at Grandma's. I would nap on the floor of your room, too - just listening to you breathe.
• Watching you love Daddy before bed one night (at 5 months old). I cried. You didn't want Daddy to leave and it was obvious.
• Banner cuddling you after his naps.
• Crib time with Banner
• The way you like to climb on me when I'm on the floor with you - or how you love when I'm on your level and would crawl or walk to me with a huge smile and gave hugs and kisses
• Bathing you in the kitchen sink for so many months early on
• Even though I HATED it at the time - it's still a funny memory looking back now... the so many nights of your newborn-hood when Daddy and I would have to SPEED through changing your diaper in the middle of the night hoping you didn't pee on us or your pajamas or swaddle! We lost this battle so many frustrating times, but it makes for a funny memory now.
• When Dr. B examined you at your RSV recheck, and you laughed through it. You were so ticklish!
• Wearing you in the Maya Wrap and patting your little bottom
• Your first "nap" with Levi only days after he was born
• When you grabbed Levi's hand on the playmat at Grandma's
• Cuddles as you fell asleep as a newborn - especially when you slept in my bed with me at the hospital.
• Sleeping in our bed as a newborn (because you had a cold at 2 weeks old, and I needed to have you right next to me)
• Watching you babble to Banner the first time - on the couch while Daddy held you both
• Rolling over for the first time on New Year's Day at Grandma's house
• When you started reaching for me
• Your first real bath with Banner
• The first time you "creeped" on the play room floor... you inched across the wood floor pulling your body with open hands
• Saying "hi" to Banner for the first time ("Haaaa")
• Rocking you (back) to sleep midnap, lines on your face, sucking sounds on the pacifier, both of us in our favorite places. I tried to go get my camera in the den while keeping you asleep on me. We had rocked for an hour, but it seemed like only 20 minutes.
• Laying on the playmat with Levi and our hands were all held together (Levi was 2 months old; you were 7 months)
• Playing a "game" in the glider when I say your name and you would wait until I said it twice before turning to me with a smile and then turning away again as if to say, "Do it again, Mom!"
• Giving open-mouth kisses again and again. . . I called this "making out"
• When I got back from my trip to Austin to see Sage & Trey graduate. I came into Chuck E. Cheese's for Colby's 4th birthday party, and when you first saw me, you did a double take and then immediately reached for me and gave me a kiss. My heart melted!
• Your first time to swing at the park - it was way too cold - Daddy and I had no idea a cold front had come through, and we felt awful with you in a short-sleeved onesie and probably freezing your little tushy off! It was a short trip, but you seemed to enjoy it!
• Dancing with you to "Through Heaven's Eyes" when Banner was watching Prince of Egypt
• Eskimo kisses and giggles in the glider before night-night at 8-months-old
• Chin kisses/sucks
• Gummy, open-mouth kisses
• The way you always fold your wrist toward the mattress whenever you go to sleep - you've done this early, early on - and you still do it to this day. Your arm twists so the back of you hand is on the sheet, and then you pull your elbow up a little so your wrist is bent and your fingers are in the air a bit. 
• Cuddling and rubbing faces on the couch at 6:30am at 10.5 months old
• Morning cuddles in the glider, and morning massages while we try to pass the time between taking your Prevacid and the 30 minutes before you can eat your first bottle
• Watching you practice walking by toddling to Banner
• Swimming with you - you kicking your legs up and down
• Our first night to give you only table food - we were at Gattitown and you ate EVERYTHING!
• A few days before you turned 1... I rocked you to sleep for your morning nap and had a hard time getting up to put you in the crib because you felt so safe, warm, snuggly, PERFECT in my arms 
• The morning of your birthday - waking you up with balloons and "Happy Birthday" with Banner and Daddy