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Gwendolyn Piper Steeves:
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Gwendolyn Piper Steeves:
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Our baby is technically a baby no more—at one year, she has graduated to toddler. Or, as we prefer to call her, yearling. (It is technically correct! "Yearlings" are animals that have completed the first year of life but not yet the second. It was one of the 5000 words and definitions I read aloud to Gwen over this year.) That said, I am sure I will be like my mother and think of her as my baby for all her livelong days, like it or not. To commemorate the occasion, I wanted to write a little bit about what has happened in this year: what we have learned, about how much Gwen has already changed, about what a complete person she has already become. I started this Web site last summer as a project to fill my time in the waning days of my pregnancy. More than a year later, I am really thrilled to have such a detailed record of this crazy, amazing, tiring year and look forward to adding to it—and for Gwen someday to add her perspective. Like so many expecting parents before us, we filled our heads with dreams of exposing Gwen to all the amazing art and culture we love, even reading The Hobbit to her in utero. Take a look at the lists section of the site to see our lofty goals. And like so many of those same parents, reality checked quite a bit of our ambition while managing a baby. As it turns out, babies like things for meant for babies. No matter how excited we may have been to read her our favorite Russian novels and initiate her Goth phase at day one, our girl showed her clear preference for Brown Bear, Hungry Caterpillar, "Wheels on the Bus," and "Classical Baby." Not that we minded one bit—those first few months were filled with so many upended expectations and crying (Gwen and me) and frustration that finding out what made her happy was a thrill. It was really hard to be concerned that Gwen didn't care for Queen when we could settle her down with a little "Baby Bach" or even a good ceiling–fan staring session. The one exception to this rule, to her Daddy's great pleasure, is how much she enjoys "The Simpsons." The bright colors, quick cuts, and the running around of Bart, Maggie, and Lisa made her laugh very early on. And we have just loved being able to tell people that "The Simpsons" is her favorite show, as it always evokes an amusing mixture of disbelief and amazement. Gwen's great–grandmother (Nanny) was the first to be so bold as to call her smart. We held off on agreeing, not because we didn't think she was totally amazing (we did), but because we just wanted to make sure she developed normally and could sit up and focus here eyes and smile before deciding she was gifted. But now, she has checked off all of the first–year developments (walking, sleeping thru the night, showing the sweetest affection with her big hugs), and we are starting to accept how bright she is. She says more than 30 words (many of them clear as day), sings along with her Wiggleworms CD, follows directions, remembers so much, knows animals and their sounds, loves to read. Mark and I just hope we can keep up. Speaking of keeping up, watching the pride Gwen overcome Gwen's face as she walks all over the house is one of the purest joys I have ever known. The little thrill she gets from walking across a room all by herself, even after a few weeks of walking, is just so sweet, it makes me laugh out loud. Gwen isn't the only one who has changed this year. I owe my daughter so much, because I have loved more this year than ever before. And not just loved her, but my husband, my family, my friends. Babies take a lot of time and energy (newsflash, there). The people who have taken time to be in our lives, even with the upheaval we have gone thru, are so special to us. And Mark has been such a great dad and my best friend and the only one who knows how hard it has been and also how amazing. And I am humbled by the love I have felt for all of you, and the love I have received in return. Thanks to Gwen and her many needs and total dependence (which is slowly but surely becoming her total independence), I learned a lot about the work that goes into love, and how much I would rather work hard to love ten people really well than casually appreciate 100 acquaintances. That is not to say that I regret my social butterfly days; I am just so happy to be in this new phase of life and think it makes new parenthood all the more enjoyable. I meant for this to be about Gwen but can't help including her effect on me. That is probably due to some degree to lingering self–absorption, but the lion's share of it comes from how much Gwen and I functioned as a unit this year. After growing inside me, she came out and nursed so much for the first four months that I was basically topless the whole time. Eventually, that slowed down, but we were still a team, staying home together, going out together, spending all of our time together. So, it is fair to say that a lot of this first year has been about that bond. Now, Gwen has had an evening with a babysitter, and we are down to nursing at bedtime—and we will phase that out soon. And she certainly has her own personality, her own desires and tastes and opinions. And she is funny! She loves surprising us by popping out from behind the couch or a door frame. I am so excited to watch her grow and learn and become very much her own person. But I'll always cherish this special, unique year when we were one. I love you, my yearling!
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