ONE.

Lucas,

I'm not usually one who is short of words, but I've been working this post out in my head for over a week now simply because I couldn't figure out how to express all of the words I want to say.  You're ONE!  I can't believe that one whole year has gone by since we welcomed you into this world.  I remember your wiggly self being in my tummy like it was yesterday.  And now you're not a baby anymore.  You're ONE.

Every month, I've documented pictures of you and how much you are growing.  I want to remember every detail.  At your one year pediatrician visit, you weighed 22 pounds and were 30 inches tall.  You have 6 teeth (4 on the top, 2 on the bottom) and a full head of blonde hair.  You are a flirt.  You are silly.  You are wild.  You are perfect.

You have grown into such a sweet and joyful little boy.  Your smile is contagious and really you make it hard to concentrate on anything else in the room when you flash your big dimples and new teeth.  It's too much.  

You are 100% boy and it is adorable.  You don't know what sounds different animals make yet, but when we ask you what sound the truck makes, you light up and say "vroom!vroom!"  When you hear airplanes, you shoot your chubby little arm into the air to point up to the sky, but instead of looking up to the sky you look around to everyone around you as if to notify them that there is a plane flying overhead.  So courteous of you!  You love anything with wheels.  The bigger the better.  You wake up happy and sit and talk in your crib for a while.  When you're ready for us to come and get you, you say "da da da da" and get louder and louder until we get the hint.  It's okay that you call for your daddy, you love him a lot.  And it does my heart good.  You love to play rough with him, getting tossed in the air and rolling around on the floor.  You like to build towers with your blocks and crash your dump truck through them.  You love to watch daddy fix things...and one day soon I know you'll be right there beside him with a hammer in hand.  But those snuggles?  Those are mine :)

You clap your hands and are so close to walking and crawl like a mad man.  You eat and drink and share food with the dog.  You give kisses and wave bye-bye and smile a lot. 

You have taught your daddy and me so much.  We are better because of you.  We know a different kind of love because of you, a love that is designed to be like the love of our Father.  We pray for you and pray that you will grow up to love Jesus.  

When I was putting you to bed on the night of your birthday, I rocked you for an extra long time.  I cried tears of joy for who you are.  (I know, moms cry sometimes for silly reasons, but this was a good thing, I promise.) I have wanted to slow down time over the past year, but at the same time I love seeing you grow and develop.  It just keeps getting better!  Every stage of your little life, I think "this is my favorite."  But I keep saying it over and over and over, because it keeps getting sweeter and sweeter.  

You are such a blessing, little boy.  We thank God every day for the gift that you are, and we are continually on our knees in prayer and thanksgiving that you have been entrusted to us while we are all on this earth.  Thank you for teaching us more than we could have ever imagined this year.  It's been sweet, and it's been fun.  We love you!