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My sweet, sweet baby boy....

It's March 24th ~ Happy Birthday! 
Today, we are so blessed to be able to celebrate a whole year of YOU!  What an honor.

Everett, there are no words to describe the ways my heart has grown since we learned of you back in the summer of 2010.  You are my fourth 'quarter' baby, my youngest, my cuddle bug, my mama's boy.  You are a pure delight, and you have definitely lived up to being worth the wait. 

There are so many ways I want to remember today, to capture these feelings I have, and engrave them in my memory.  To remember you now.

Here are a few:

-It's my baby's first birthday!  (and I'm NOT pregnant!  This is a FIRST for this Mama)
-At this time last year....I was doing_____....oh, am I the Queen of Nostalgia!
-I want to keep you this size forever!
-Your sweet, chubby hands
-Your dimples
-Your Baby Blues with The Longest Lashes Ever
-Your belly laugh -- best with big brothers, next to tickling your collarbones
-Your love of being worn - in the Boba and the Gemini
-Your love of graham crackers and french fries
-Your dislike of bananas (seriously?)
-the way you nurse so willingly still, 3 times a day
-the fact that you sleep in a pack 'n play, in the basement (don't judge)
-the way you scooch over to something, get up to your knees and stick your butt straight into the air with your hands flat on the floor (yoga, much?)
-your army crawl: one-armed (left), with your right hand holding an object, or straight up in the air
-the way you give "fives" and giggle afterward
-Your love for the pacifier -- sleeping with one in your mouth, and one in each hand (reminds me of Nate!)
-your SIZE!  You wear size 12-18 months, some 18+ month clothes, you're simply huge :)  You are approximately 23 lbs. 
-how you take one nap a day.  and it's a struggle to get there sometimes, and you're often SO tired.  and you could probably sleep 3+ hours at the nap, if our schedule allowed...but school pick-ups often get in the way.  grrr...
-the way you LOVE your blanket - it is with you, and when you are so tired, you look for it, reach for it, and cuddle up with it.  Melts my heart!
-You are SUPER YUMMY!
-"E-V-E, it's as easy as....1...2.....3"
-"Avocado...."
-the way you wave hiiiiiiiii
-when your Daddy comes home and you say, "Hiiiii, Daaaa!"
-the way you pull up to standing at the bay window, and start pulling the cars off of it that Nate has so carefully lined up.  Nate is not a big fan of your antics, and often yells at you, "Bayyyybeeee, noooooo!"
-the way you put/carry everything in your mouth as you crawl from place to place
-the way you cuddle up on my shoulder if it's been a few hours since you've seen me.  you sometimes will pat my shoulder, sometimes will sigh, and always will hang out there for a few minutes or more
-the way you love a bat and a ball
-how you like to say "Deeeeee!"  - not sure what you're referring to, but it's cute because you are so passionate about it!

Oh Everett, I know there is so much fun and love ahead of us, but I wish there was a way that I could bottle up time.  I love this age!  It is so neat to be able to watch you learn, grow, and discover. 
I am blessed to be able to hug and kiss you (nearly) whenever I want and be with you for all of your firsts.  It doesn't necessarily make me sad for what I missed with your big brothers, just happy that I get to experience them this time with you. 
I am so grateful for this day.  It is the day you came to us, and that I became your Mama!

Happy Birthday, baby boy!