I love you. All of you.

Sweetest little one, you have been with us for a year! A year that feels like forever only because we have been able to soak up so much goodness - it's hard to believe you've been with us for such a short time!

For starters, I love you, I love you, I love you!!! And, not only do I love you, we love you! Your dada, brother, and I all love all that you are!

There are so many things I'd like to capture in this post, so bear with me.

• I love that you have a smile that makes my heart melt. From dimple to dimple. It's amazing!
• I love how you lay your head on your dada after he picks you up from getting home. You nestle your sweet head into his neck and it's so sweet.
• I love your sweet open-mouth kisses. All of them. Every. Single. One.
• I love when you show me your gentle touch. Even if it's after you pinched a fistful of mama's skin with your incredibly strong grip.
• I love how you can play pick-a-boo with anything and everything. Anywhere. All day long.
• I love how pick-a-boo excites you to squeals. It's pretty great.
• Your baby hair is so sweet and soft. We have yet to cut it. Call me sentimental. I'm just not ready touch your sweet and perfect head of hair.
• You love your brother. You love him so much.
• You love to explore. You'll wander and play with rocks and sticks for hours at a time.
• You're such a good eater. You love your veggies. You're definitely a meat-eater. 
• You love to try and eat like a big boy with your spoon and fork. You also find these sweet tools convenient to teeth on. 
• You and I have such a sweet nursing relationship. I love how we bond through that. No matter what has gone on that day, no matter how busy I was or wasn't that day, we always reconnect. And, it's sweet.
• You're laughter is infectious. It makes us happy.
• I love that you're a little fireball. Always on the go. Looking to play, trying to run, and keep up with big brother.
• You really enjoy a good game of ring-around-the-rosies. It's sweet. Fun. And, full of smiles and giggles.
• I love your sneakiness and silliness. Very silly.
• Your words are few. I call you my little ogre. We get a lot of grunts and pointing. But, you do have a few words in the midst of your caveman tendencies: mamaaaa (said whinily and when in need.), dada (said excitedly and meant for play). djedje (Your brother's name), thetheee (mixed with some spit. you're saying Lily.), tan tuu (thank you.), baaa (ball), teeeeh (throw), da-tu-teeeee (1-2-3. You count before throwing or sliding down slides), Ahh, Ahh (oustide), Hiii & Buyyy (with a pretty cute hand waving near your pretty cute face). All of this is mixed in with the sweetest head shake for no and head nod for yes.
• You are quite the dancer. You get to movin' pretty quick when you hear some good tunes and I love to dance with you!
• You love Lily and she tolerates you well enough. You can get pretty rough with her, which she has come to learn. One of the many reasons we've been working on your gentle touch.
• You are so very loved by your grandparents and Uncles & Aunt. And, the loveliest thing is to see you love them back with the same baby fierceness.
• I love your little noises. 
• Those little pointing fingers, pointing their way through life and a growing vocabulary are pretty wonderful.
• I'm grateful for the way you've challenged me. It's forced me to grow in love and patience. I can say that now in retrospect and just pray that I let you continue to challenge me to love you through all your toddler phases. 
• I love when you bring me books you want me to read over and over again. I love how you shove them in my face and are persistent until I actually read it. Again. And, again.
• I love you how try and figure out puzzles. You're such a little thinker.
• I love how you start prancing around before bathtime because nakedness is a fun and freeing experience for you.
• I love how you love bath-time. So much that it's almost a guarantee you cry every time we take you out.
• I love how you randomly bring me things you think I should have. For instance, the random little rocks we bring in from the playground always find themselves in your little hands on their way to me no matter where I am in the house.
• I love everything about your growing relationship with your brother. It's beautiful and definitely has room for growth (especially in the sharing and gentle realm), but the sweet moments that happen on the daily or exciting. 
• I love how you are sleeping through the night with a few random and brief, sleep nursing sessions.
• I love how proud of yourself you get when you accomplish new little to-do's like clapping, toddling, pick-a-boo, hiding, and coloring to name a few.
• I love how you love watching home videos. 
• I love how you squeal with joy with bubbles.
• I love how you love being outside. Swinging, climbing, sliding, and exploring.
• I absolutely enjoy when you play with your brother while in the car. You both can see each other and randomly have these fun exchanges that just fill me.
• I appreciate how agile you are. You've never been a terrible fall-er. You fall with grace when you do, which is rare. Even when you slip or trip on something you manage to do it well. Trust me when I say this is very pleasing to me!
• You're toddling makes me happy. It makes me smile. 
• I love you. All of you. Every little bit.

Here's a Photo Party of your Sweet Day:

Family!

Dada!

You and me time!

Some sweet decor inspired by Rosie over at Blog for my Mom!

Reading with Nonna.

Bookworm.

Some of the spread. Favorites was the theme.

Papa Wooley and you.

Another nursing picture because this is how a good majority of our sweet relationship is nourished. Love you!

Spaghetti! Your favorito!

Determination.

Your Godfather, Shawn.

Pick-a-boo!

Lots and lots of balloon fun was had!

Lots!

Cake time. (Blogger is being funny and keeping this and the next picture from being upright.)

Candle wishes.

Sugary treat!

With your Godparents and their beautiful girls!

Uncle Mychael came!

Grandpa Ram and Nana love! Oh, how they love you!

I love you, my sweet boy. So very much. Thank you for this past year. Thank you for all of it. May you be blessed abundantly in your second year of life with His Joy and Goodness. 

"Let us go forward in peace, our eyes upon heaven, the only one goal of our labors."

-St. Therese of Lisieux