The Explorer Turns One
đ¨âđ§ Dad Log
It hit me todayâmy daughter is no longer a baby. Sheâs a full-blown little human now. One year in, and sheâs already showing flashes of who sheâll become.
Independent. Calm. Focused.
She doesnât need to be constantly held. Sheâll climb over my legs, stand up on her own, crawl across the mat like itâs a training ground. Sheâs content just exploring the world I made safe for her. No chaos. No clinginess. Just presence. Her own and mine.
She knows Iâm there. Thatâs enough.
Personality: Stoic Baby Energy
Sheâs not needy.
Sheâs not loud.
She only cries when something actually mattersâlike hunger.
She spends real time with her toys. Stacking rings, touch and feel books, rubber Roku remote. Simple tools. Sheâs focused. Intentional. The kind of calm that makes you question why most adults are so frantic.
Sheâll sit in the tub, playing with ice cubes like theyâre the most fascinating thing sheâs ever seen. Doesnât need noise or hypeâjust space to notice things. Thatâs her superpower.
Milestones & Moves
Crawling and climbing: using my leg like a jungle gym. Already got that âI got thisâ swagger.
Feeding herself: banana slices, blueberries, shredded chicken, carne asada and el pastor bits from my tacos at the market. Rejects the spoon and grabs with purpose.
Speech emerging: she babbles a lotâmostly âba-ba,â sometimes âda-daââbut the way she locks eyes when I talk? She gets it.
Emotional regulation: she can nap in the car, vibe on her playmat, or ride in silence. Doesnât spiral. Doesnât cling. Just self-soothes like a little monk.
Food Preferences
Sheâs a chicken girlâespecially when itâs shredded from wings.
Ground beef? Meh.
Bananas? Yes.
Water? Sheâs into itâsippy cup style. Open cup is still a work in progress.
Lately, Iâve been cooking with her in mind. My chicken-and-rice Instant Pot bowls get a toddler remix. Mash a little up, serve it warm, let her go to work. Itâs a ritual now. I eat, she eats. We coexist.
Play Style
She thrives in calm environments. No overstimulation. No overstated praise. Just soft music, bathtub toys, and the occasional ice cube or plastic measuring spoon.
She plays independently while I supervise, quietly. She knows Iâm closeâbut Iâm not hovering.
I let her lead. I guide from the edge. Thatâs how trust is built.
My Role
Iâm the anchor.
The quiet observer.
The wall she climbs and the ground she walks on.
Even in the middle of divorce and transition, sheâs thriving. Because I show up with consistency and calm.
She doesnât need me holding her 24/7.
She just needs to know:
âDadâs here. I can explore the world.â
And thatâs exactly what she does.
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