To James

Your mommy and daddy found out you were coming just when we most wanted to hear this news.  Mommy wanted you so badly.  We knew from the beginning it was you God had planned for this time and this hour and not the baby we lost.  We were so happy about you, and Mommy has worried about you a little more as a result.  We had some cause for concern halfway through, but you were born perfectly whole and healthy one year ago today.  Everyone said you were so big, my little 8 lb. 9 oz. baby boy, but you were tiny to me, who now had a 3-year old at home.  I worried when you didn't have bowel movements according to the "schedule," but you were fine.  Soon you were having projectile bowel movements at 4 a.m. all over me, the couch, and the carpet.

You were the quintessential sleepy newborn, something I had not experienced with your sister.  You only stayed awake long enough to nurse and have your diaper changed before you were ready to go back to sleep.   Forty minutes of awake time was the most I could get out of you.  It was a big deal when you started staying awake for an hour.  You slept for about the first 3 months of your life, so a transition to mommy of two didn't feel like it really came for me until later.  

You have always had the sweetest spirit and as soon as you woke up from your newborn sleep, you became so communicative.  You babbled, squealed and cooed from about 2 1/2 months until the present day.  Your smiles came frequently, and it was so fun to cuddle and nap with you.  At 5 months old you suddenly started sleeping all through the night, and I was thrilled.  After 5 nights of this bliss, you started waking up from naps with cries of pain and soaking your shirt with drool.  Here came your first tooth.

Check out that wet onesie...all his own drool.

So began several months of hit and miss sleep.  Once more I became the exhausted mother of an infant, losing my 700 hours of sleep like a champ.  But I wouldn't trade those nights in the rocking chair with you for anything (well, maybe I would have accepted a couple of extra hours of sleep a night).  I now know exactly what comes on television between 2 and 3 a.m.  (In case you're interested you can watch Three's Company, The Patty Duke Show, and Red Eye on Fox.  Incidentally, I would never have known that the Fox News Channel had a late-night show if it weren't for James.)  Despite my exhaustion, I loved my hours of snuggling with you.  

At 8 months you started crawling and a few days later stood up on your own for the first time.  You have been on the go ever since, exploring our house from one end to the other.  You have always had big hands, and we also found that you had surprising strength.  You could pull the vacuum cleaner out of the closet and push it down the hall.  You also could push the bar stool across the floor with Ella sitting in it.  You love to go in rooms and shut the door behind you so you can get into mischief.  You crawl after your sister all day long.  You quickly figured out the best way to get my attention was to open the "no-no" cabinet in the hall.  If your daddy and I would let you, you would hold on to our hands all day long so you could walk around the house.  You always throw a fit when we let go of those hands.  I think you could take a few steps if you tried, but you don't want to take the time to practice.  You'd rather be on your way now.  You are on full throttle when you are awake, but you still love to take a nap with the best of them.  You always let me know when you are ready, pulling up on my leg and whining.  You love music, and you know how to get the beat just like Ernest T.  Watching movies is also a favorite past time.  When we walk in the living room you point at the television.  "Movie," I ask?  "Wa, wa, wa, wa," you respond.  I take that as a yes.  

Oh, my James, you are so much fun.  I can't believe you are already one.  I love all your mischievous ways:  playing in the toilet, knocking over lamps, climbing in the dishwasher, making a break for the garage.  Who knew having a boy would be such an adventure?  I certainly didn't.  I couldn't imagine anything better than my girl, who loved trips to Target, the library and walks around the neighborhood.  I'm so glad you are part of our family.  Happy Birthday to you.

His birthday present was a hit.

He liked his new cell phone, too.

We had a lot of morning sunlight in the living room this morning.

Thus, the shadows.