One Year Ago Today

Wow. I still can't believe that my baby will turn one in less than an hour. I'm doing pretty well considering how emotional I get about things like this! I've had my sentimental moments. The other day I lost it during bath time as I remembered his first bath at home and just thought about how much he has changed since then. Almost a year ago, he laid helpless on a green frog sponge thingy on the bathroom countertop while we gently cleaned him with a wash cloth, and now he kicks and splashes like crazy and crawls around the tub. There's definitely no slow, gentle wiping with a wash cloth...it's more like how much can you get washed before he moves again! He now likes to sit on that same countertop after his bath to have his hair combed, look at himself in the mirror, play with cups, and to turn off the light, his new favorite thing. So much change in a short year...they really do grow up so fast! 

One year ago today I went to the doctor and was told that this little guy was still happy where he was (almost 2 weeks past due date), and it was finally time to do something about it. Brian, Mom, and I were at the appointment, and I won't go into any further details than that. (You're welcome!) I was told to be at the hospital the next morning at 7. After my appointment we went grocery shopping to stock up so we wouldn't need to worry about that after coming home from the hospital. Dad arrived later that night. Mom made homemade macaroni and cheese for dinner, and we watched Diary of a Wimpy Kid.  I had a snack/second dinner of a bagel sandwich before bed because wasn't allowed to eat after midnight, and I knew that would be rough at breakfast time! I remember the funny feeling I had laying in bed probably at almost this exact same time when I thought about the fact that this would be our last night sleeping at home as a family of two. The next time we would go to bed in this house (or at all!) we would have a baby to put to bed.

So, here we are one year later. As I put my sweet boy in bed to tonight I just kept thinking that this will be the last night I put my baby to bed. He's becoming a little boy...an adorable, energetic, hilarious, sweet, loving, and passionate little boy. As I laid him in bed tonight I thanked God for such an incredible blessing and prayed that we might raise him to grow as Christ did - "in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man" (Luke 2:52). What an amazing opportunity God gives us as parents to watch a child grow and develop from a precious, helpless baby to an increasingly independent and intelligent (& sweet & funny!) child. I miss that little baby who would sleep in my arms for hours at a time. (Right now, I'm very tempted to sneak in his room and get him out of bed to hold him one last time as he sleeps before he becomes a one-year-old...I'll let you know tomorrow what I decide!) But, at the same time, I cannot be happier and more excited to see how he will grow and change in this new year.