Reflections On a Year Gone By Too Soon

Today was our baby's last day of being an 11 month old. Tomorrow we officially begin counting his age in years. I can't begin to express my amazement at how much Philip has changed and grown over these past twelve months. To think that one year ago today we didn't even know the sweet little boy sleeping serenely in his crib upstairs. I can hardly remember what our lives were like without him in them, and that doesn't bother me one bit, because our lives are infinitely improved, just by knowing him. I can't think of a single part of my life that hasn't been enriched by Philip's presence in it, and every day just gets better.

This past year has been such an amazing ride. Full of ups and downs, and highs and lows as we felt our way, often blindly, along our journey into and through parenthood. We survived the sleepless nights and the colic (although there were nights and days when I was quite convinced a person actually could die from sleep deprivation). The three months of breast milk jaundice and the agonizing, multiple doctor's visits that accompanied it. Purchasing and moving into our first home with a two-month-old in tow. A first cold this past winter. Vaccinations. Teething. First falls and other boo-boos as Philip learned how to crawl, stand, and eventually walk. But amongst the days that have tried our patience, and sometimes our sanity, there have been countless more days full of awe and wonder. I could never find words eloquent enough to express the joy and pride that wells up from the depths of your soul from witnessing your child discovering the world and learning his own place in it. The love for your child is truly like no other love in the world.

And so tomorrow and on Saturday at his first birthday party we will celebrate Philip's first year on this planet, and we, the people who love him, will give him gifts to show him how special he is to us. But no gift in the world that I will ever give my son could hold a candle to the gift he gave me one crazy, wonderful, joyful year ago: the gift of becoming his mother. A gift for which I am forever grateful.

I love you so much, sweet boy!

Here are some pictures from Philip's last day of being eleven months old.

A little light reading in the morning.

Off to the store in the afternoon. He still fits in his infant car seat, although not for much longer! What a contrast to the tiny little bundle we brought home from the hospital. He was so small I thought the seat wouldn't safely hold him! Click here!

Carrying Monkey around the living room. The same monkey who visited him in his infant bed in the hospital when he was born, and was considerably larger than newborn Philip! Click here!

More reading in the evening! Philip received this book as a gift from his Aunt Diane for his first Christmas when he was only 3 months old. It has been a favorite since then! Click here!

My beautiful little boy.

Looking more like his daddy every day!

He loves his stacking rings from his Great Grandma G! A favorite activity is crawling with one in each hand and banging them together in the air while walking.

Our little cutie pie.

Loving his big boy bath! No more baby tub!

Deep in conversation with Officer Quack Quack.