One Year

Amazing to think that Baby Z. turned one on Saturday. That first year went by so fast, which really underscores how few of these birthdays we get. I'm 30, which is like a small lifetime of experiences, but in what other sense does the relatively tiny number "30" - let alone "1" - connote some sort of big achivement or milestone? I guess it just shows how special our lives are, or at least how much weight we give every day, week, month and year. Or at least how much weight we should give them. I suppose babies really emphasize the importance of each minute, since in those first months they advance so quickly. Even a smile is considered a big deal, and when they begin stumbling around the house - toast in one hand, milk in the other, a mouthful of teeth showing as they lurch toward the sleeping cat like a drunk lion tamer - you really take note at how far they've come.