Now your baby is reaching their first birthday, it could be nice to take a moment to reflect on how much they’ve grown in this past year.

The first year of your baby’s life has been full of many milestones. Think back to that first day you brought them home; remember how little they were?

Maybe they came home with tufts of hair that have since fallen out and might have even grown back as a different color! Their vision wasn’t as good back then; they could only see about 30cm in front of their face. But one day, they started recognizing your face and flashed you a gummy smile.

You’ve been seeing lots of smiles, frowns, laughter, tears, and all sorts of emotions from your baby over this last year. They’ve been working hard to learn about the world around them. Your baby might even be spoon-feeding themselves or speaking a few words by now! Could you imagine that a year ago?

After hours of tummy time and probably a few bumps along the way, your baby might be crawling by now. Most babies don’t take their first steps until after their first day, so you’ve still got that to look forward to!

Less than 12 months ago, your tot couldn’t sit up on their own, and now they’re getting ready to move around and explore. You’ve probably babyproofed your home by now, but it could be a good time to start thinking about the new heights your little one can reach once they start standing and walking; you may need some new baby gates or some new childproof locks on higher up drawers and cabinets.

While your baby was growing quickly, you’ve probably already gone through lots of clothes anywhere between size 00000 to 0. If you have the storage space, you could consider hanging on to these outgrown clothes for either your next little one or for when a friend or family member has a baby.

Your little one has been developing motor reflexes as they’ve grown. Remember to keep stimulating their senses and building their reflexes by giving them tactile things to play with, showing them bright colors, playing different types of music and sounds, and making noises back and forth while they learn to talk.

Moving forward, keep making time to read your little one's stories and help them move and walk, as well as spending time cuddling and relaxing together. They’ve developed so much in this first year, and there are still many exciting moments to come. Congratulations on your first year of parenthood.