Happy 1st Birthday Baby Boy!!

At 7:20 tonight, my baby boy will officially be a year old. The closer we've gotten to his birthday in the last couple of days, the more I've thought about last year. That last OB appointment when no one suspected I would go in to labor the next day. That last day at the CPC, where I'd apparently been contracting the whole day. Making dinner rolls in preparation to have friends over the next night. Calling Isaac, scared to death, not knowing what to do. Our wonderful friend, Michael, driving me to the hospital. Being told I was dilated and the nurses trying to stop the labor and contractions. Being admitted and realizing much sooner than anticipated, Curtis would be joining our world. The contractions. The wonderful epidural. The pushing. The forceps. The sweet little cry of our baby boy and getting to briefly hold him before he was whisked away to the Observation Nursery. It was a whirlwind and I was so thankful the whole process was over. Little did I know, the hard part was only about the start. 

I've taken care of kids and been around kids my whole adult life. I had no clue what I was getting in to by being a Mom. This has been the most challenging, frustrating, sleep deprived , joy-fulled, wonderful, happiest time of my life. Our little one is not an "easy" baby. He doesn't sleep. Meal time can be very frustrating. Weaning has not been very easy. But any of you who have been around him for any amount of time also know how completely adorable he is. He has the brightest, happiest smile of any child I've ever met. That smile just makes my heart melt every time. He giggles so loud when he's playing and wrestling with Isaac. He flirts with every pretty girl he sees. He's so independent and such a busy body, always wanting to know what's going on with everyone around him. Yes, this past year has been a huge challenge, but I would never trade it for anything. God has shown me so much about myself, and so much about what it mean to really love, no matter what. I am so thankful for our little boy and excited to see how much he will grow and learn and come into his personality in the next year!!

We see both of these faces a lot lately. Curtis has learned to stick out his tongue in the past few weeks and the little round lipped face, that's how he talks a lot :)