To my beautiful boy on your first birthday,
I cannot believe it was only a year ago that I first laid eyes on you, my beautiful, crying bundle of perfect baby boy. Only a year ago in which you entered our lives to change them forever and make me the happiest mother that lived. If only I knew what was in store for me as I first held you and kissed you. People told me that the first year would fly by at lightning speed and they were right. In a flash you went from a small (you were never tiny) helpless baby to one of the funniest, and most clever soon to be toddler around. In the blink of an eye, you became you.
What an amazing year it has been! Boy, have you grown and learned so much. As a small baby you amazed people with your size. They never could believe you were as young as you were because you were so big and tall. You took after your daddy. You were also so strong holding your head up and loved to try and stand as we held you. I loved to watch you jump in your jumper because you had such a fun time bouncing up and down. Once you started crawling there was no stopping you, you started crawling, standing, and cruising all in one week.
Soon we knew you’d want to walk. One night, about a week before your birthday, your daddy and I were discussing you walking. We were wondering if you were going to walk before your first birthday because you had been trying to take a step alone here and there. As your daddy and I were disagreeing on what “by his first birthday” meant, you showed us up and walked across the living room! That was just the beginning and now you walk a little bit more every day. Soon you’ll be running away wanting us to catch you.
You are such an explorer. Sometimes new things were scary, such as grass, but within a couple times of sitting on or near it, you figured it wasn’t something to be scared about but something to crawl on. Kitties were perfect to try to pet and catch and one of the things that would always, always make you smile. You loved to try to figure how to work things like opening drawers and cabinets or flushing the toilet. You knew from a very young age when we hid something you weren’t supposed to have, like my cement Cheshire Cat, behind something else. You were very clever and would go back to it again and again and uncover it. There was no fooling you.
You are such a funny little person. You make me laugh every single day. Sometimes, even when you are being very spirited and pitching a fit, I have to laugh. You are very dramatic and sometimes I wonder if I have a little actor on my hands. Most nights you get very silly and go crazy standing up in bed and falling backwards over and over again. You love that and laugh and laugh. Your laughter is one of the best sounds in the world.
You are a loving person. You like to give me big slobbery kisses and sometimes are still enough to give me hugs. You like to hug your animals and take care of your baby, which is so sweet to see. You are also very outgoing. You always like for people to pay attention to you and you make friends with everyone. You especially like to smile at pretty girls. Unlike lots of babies your age, you like strangers and greet them with a smile or some loud babble.
You have a smile that lights up a room and lights up my heart. You are my heart, my gorgeous, wonderful boy whom I love so, so much. May this next year be a year of continued discovery, and exciting adventure. May you laugh more than you cry. And may you continue to touch the hearts of those around you. You are an amazing little person and it will be a joy to see how you grow and change.
I love you more than you could ever know.
Love, Mama
