My cup runneth over...: Brody is ONE!

I cannot believe my itty bitty baby boy is ONE year old.

A few words about Brody

He is almost always perfect when we are out in public. He's a good boy during church and I hope he is learning that sometimes little boys need to sit still and remain quiet. Brody loves people and he smiles a lot, which makes me think he will be friendly to everyone..which is what we will teach him to do. He loves to carry stuffed animals and blankets around, which shows me his tender side, even though he's a boy.

This has been the best year of my life. Ever. I have learned so much by having this new person in my life. Throughout this year I have probably been more tired than ever before and more scared than ever before. But I truly believe that this little boy in my life has helped me to grow closer to God and see clearer than I ever have before.

I am naturally a little (really) lazy and sometimes (often) selfish. But you see, when you are a mother, especially of an infant, you cannot be either of those things. At least on the outside. So, this girl who is a procrastinator at heart and self centered in my thoughts, would get up out of bed when her baby cried, she would hold him all day long if that is what he needed, she would rock him lovingly and pray for him at 4 am and smile at him as he fussed about who knows what? I have given so much to my son, physically and emotionally and I would do everything I can to please him. I finally realized that these traits I am learning as a mother, are not only intended for my child. My husband deserves unselfishness too and a woman is to work from before sun up to beyond sun down (Proverbs 31) to serve her entire household. What I learned this year is this...it's not..about..ME. I am a true work in progress but at least my "light" is finally on.

A few facts about Brody

He loves fruit, of any kind, especially berries, but we think they make him spit up
Pluto is his favorite stuffed animal
He giggles a lot
Polar Bear, Polar Bear What Do You Hear? is his favorite book
His hatred for his car seat wore off at about 6 months and he is now pleasant to ride with
He's a pretty great sleeper at night..naps are dependent on the day
Bath time and now the pool are pretty exciting
The stroller...not really his favorite place to be
He loves tiny things in his hands, preferably one for each hand
Pointing is his new skill, sometimes this is helpful other times, extremely confusing
He says 5 words, uh-oh, Mama, Dada, Bye Bye, and Hey
Pacifiers are our friend
He has the sweetest smile and shares it often
He loves the ginormous bear that his daddy got him for his birthday
Being outside is always better than being inside
He likes to eat
TV may as well not exist
Music makes him happy
Books are our current favorite activity
The noise machine helps him sleep and entertains him during the day
He can open and close the doors in our house
The toilet is not safe just because the lid is down
He can pull 100 tissues out of a Kleenex boy in about 10 seconds
You better watch him if he's playing in the pantry, there might just be oatmeal all over the floor if you don't
He gets SO excited when daddy comes home
Brody gets lots of special gifts from his 4 grandparents and his Uncle Ross
He finally realized that toys are for playing with and not just for taking up space
He has a mommy and daddy who love him SO much
If he grows up to be like his daddy, he will be doing just fine