When you talk to doctors and read baby books, the one-year mark clearly sticks out as a major milestone. A one-year-old can do so many things that a younger baby can’t: eat a wide variety of food, drink cow’s milk, sit forward-facing in a car seat. And at one year, a baby’s risk of SIDS is dramatically reduced – so blankets can be brought into the crib (and the parents can sleep a little easier at night). These changes probably won’t be a big deal to Zoe – who turns one year a week from today – but they’re certainly a big deal to me and Q. He’s most excited about introducing Zoe to chocolate and being able to see her better in the car, while I’m most fixated on the introduction of whole milk – which will bring on a real lifestyle change for me. (Again, I don’t think Zoe will know the difference – she eats and drinks whatever we give her!) Part of me is happy to phase out my feeding responsibilities, but a (bigger) part of me is nostalgic over months past. And I can’t help but think (as I’ve thought many times before): where did my little 7-pounder go??

-M