Can it be? Is he ONE?

My sweet Baby C-

It seems like only yesterday that we found out you would be joining our family.  And from that very second it has been apparent that our family just wasn't complete before you.  You were always meant to be part of us. 

I'm so thankful for this first year of getting to know you, our newest team member.  You haven't started really talking or walking yet and we are only beginning to see the first glimpses of your very own personality.  So there is still so much for us to learn about you. 

But there are a few things we do know.

We know that you like to eat early.  Really early.  Our first baby to be a super early rise.
We know that you love to GO places.  One of your favorite phrases (maybe your only phrase) is "Go.Go.Go." and you rush toward any door that you think might be opening for you.
One of the only other things you say is something that resembles "Hey".  You use it to get attention.  Not that attention is something you ever have to work very hard to find.
We know you look AH-MAZING in blue.  Your eyes.  Oh, your eyes.
We know you give the BEST hugs, snuggling your head against us and wrapping your little hands around our shoulders.
We know you LOVE to "pat", you love to pull hair, and you love to try to steal glasses.
We know you LOVE having a big brother that sits by you in the van and takes such sweet care of you.
We know you LOVE have another big brother that can always make you laugh.
We know you LOVE having a sister that plays with you and lets us know when you need something.
We know you LOVE when your Daddy gets home or when he lets you take a nap with him.
But what we really know, is that you love Mommy the very best.
Even though we also know that you won't say my name unless you are M-A-D.  Usually you just say "ha" when I try to get you to say it.
We know you have one of the very best courtesy laughs.
We know you also have the most contagious REAL laugh.  Really, it is the BEST.LAUGH.EVER.
And we know that your "real" laugh is triggered by the most unexpected things.
We know that you might eat baby food FOREVER you love it so much.
WE know that every single member of our family loves to spoil you.
AND we know we all love you.  Every single bit of you.

You are still so small.  At your party we celebrated you with "mini", "pint-sized", "small", and "little" desserts.  So fitting for our littlest man.  But as I was preparing banner with your name on it, I couldn't help but think about your BIG name- all ELEVEN letters of it.  Your sister stumbling over all of the syllables and multiple "r's" sums it up well- it is a mouth full.  And it will be a doozy to teach you to spell.  But for all of the letters, and all the syllables, it is a million times more full of meaning. 

As we begin your second year,

I'm continuing the prayer that began the moment we first named you.  

As we learn more about who you will become this year, may it be that we'll see you continue to grow into this name.  May you continue to grow in love and admiration for the one you were named after, he'll teach you so much. May your Daddy and I continue to mold you in a way that helps you carry this name.  

May you be "One who bears Christ" to others through you smile, through your joy, through your story.

and may the way you complete our family continue to be "Poetic". 

Not b

ecause of one single thing you can do alone, sweet one, but because of the Jesus whose name you'll likely speak for the very first time this year. 

Happy 1st Birthday, precious boy!

I love you more than words can say.

Momma