We made it

My baby turned ONE!

It happened so fast, just like that man at the grocery store warned us it would. The last three months have felt like someone pushed fast forward and sped us up, so that now, at this pause, we are breathless, tired, and exhilarated. We made it.

I’ll get to her day in a minute, but first I need some space to stash a few milestones and memories, so that when it’s my turn to give condescending advice to young mothers, I can say smugly and with confidence, “Well, my daughter didn’t crawl until she was almost 11 months, but then she she started walking less than a month later!” while they nod kindly, and murmur, “Mm-hmm,” just like I do now. I understand why they say things like that, in those tones, the veteran mothers. It’s pride and love and enthusiasm for their children, so I don’t mind. But I am always surprised that they remember so clearly. I worry that I won’t. I can’t remember who won the Super Bowl or the World Series from year to year, so maybe I’ll forget Lucy’s stats, too. And really, it doesn’t matter, but I’d like to try to hold on to them–for her, at least, if nothing else, because I’m sure she’ll want to know.

So. She started crawling shortly before the 11-month mark. My sister Maddy was enticing her with a dog-gnawed, slobber-damp tennis ball on the floor at my parents’ house, and Lucy was pretty keen on getting her hands and/or mouth on it. Scooting and army-crawls ensued. A few days later, she started crawling at home, beelining for cords, outlets, sharp corners, and choking hazards, and getting faster by the minute.

She started pulling herself up on the furniture next, first on the couch and in her crib, then on low tables and windowsills.

(If you are the Mommy Police, please forgive the mobile in that first picture. I didn’t realize she could pull it down on her head, until she did, and then I saw that it was intended “FOR BIRTH TO FIVE MONTHS ONLY.” Oops.)

Cruising came next, slowly at first as she gingerly moved from chair to ottoman, then faster as she became more sure of herself, and finally flying around the perimeter of the living room, coasting smoothly from one handhold to the next. And then, all of a sudden, she let go! She stood there, balancing, clapping, waiting. Mike and I watched, frozen, as she took one step and then a couple more before falling back onto to the carpet with a bump and a giggle. These miraculous steps happened on Tuesday, four days before her birthday on Saturday. Wednesday was my last day of school, for the summer and for the next year because I am taking leave to be just a mama for a while. We made it.

Now it is summer, warm and easy. I’ve been waiting for this time, waiting for the stress and work and worry of teaching to release me so that I can turn my whole focus on home and family. Waiting for Lucy to be one, so we can get on with the business of toddling. I am so happy. She is happy. Mike is happy. It feels as though our whole house has taken a giant sigh of relief. We made it.

We had tickets to the Mariners game on Lucy’s birthday, June 25, but as we got closer to the day, that seemed like the wrong activity for a baby’s first birthday. So we gave them away and went to the zoo instead. Lucy loved it, as we knew she would. She smiled at the gorillas, howled with the lemurs, and crooned at the giraffes. The rainbow-colored tropical birds delighted her, and the wiggly brown otters made her laugh. We bought her a stuffed tiger at the gift shop, and she hugged and kissed it until she fell asleep on the way home.

For dinner, we had salmon and lentils with roasted cauliflower (one of her faves), followed by vanilla cupcakes. She ate it up, proudly using a small fork and spoon that belonged to my sister; my mom had pulled them out of the curio chest last time we visited her. She was too tired to open her presents that night, so she went to bed and slept like an angel.

She opened gifts the next day, some from us and some from her grandparents and aunties. She loved them all: the baby doll, the blocks, the toy lawnmower, the mini trike, the zoo puzzle that makes sounds, the dump truck with drivers, the stuffed narwhal. Each morning now, when I bring her out of her room to greet the day, she giggles and points and wriggles toward her birthday loot.

So it was a great success, birthday number one. Lucy is not a baby anymore. I didn’t cry, like I thought I might, at such an important and bittersweet transition. She is such a bright and cheery light, one that is much too strong to let sadness linger very long. And now we will move on, into the summer, with walks and talks and trike rides ahead. Days at the beach and baseball games and popsicles and sprinklers. We made it.

Birthday Dinner (Pan-seared Salmon with Braised Lentils)
adapted from Cooks Illustrated – serves 4; or 2 adults and a toddler, with leftovers

2 tbsp butter, divided
1/2 bunch Swiss, red, or rainbow chard – stems and leaves separated, stems chopped and leaves cut into 1/2-inch ribbons
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 big pinch dried thyme
2 cups chicken stock or water
1/2 cup lentils
1/2 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper
4 salmon fillets, skinned
1 tsp oil

This is a one-pan recipe, so choose a wide-bottomed, heavy skillet that is big enough to fit all of your salmon fillets.

Melt 1 tbsp butter over medium heat. Sauté the chard stems and onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 1-3/4 cup broth, lentils, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the lentils are tender to your liking, 30-45 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the lentils to a bowl and cover to keep warm.

Wipe the pan clean. Pat salmon dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add salmon, skinned side up, and cook until browned and fillet releases easily from the pan. This takes five minutes or so. The flesh should be opaque to a point about halfway up the fillet. Carefully flip the fillets and continue cooking on the other side for 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

Finish the lentils by transferring them back to the pan. Add remaining 1/4 cup of broth and cook until hot. Add the chard leaves and remaining butter. Stir until chard is wilted, about 3 minutes. Taste, season, and serve topped with salmon fillets.