Joseph

My baby boy is 1 year old today.  My BABY.  My last baby.  He is the youngest of my three children and with each one I say (as does every parent) "I can't believe how fast this year went."  But I must say, THIS past year has gone so much faster than the first years with the other two.  I don't know if that's because we are so much busier now, so everything just goes faster.  Or maybe it's because I know this is my last so I am trying to cherish everything that much more.  Either way, it is flying and I can't imagine how much faster it would be going if I were still working full time.  (If that is even possible.)

The story of Joseph is so different from the other two.  It took us no time to get pregnant with him.  (Almost a year with the others.)  My water broke almost a week before my due date.  (I was induced because I was past my due date with the others.)  My labor was different, my delivery experience was different, my post-delivery and maternity leave were different.  In almost every way possible, it has all been different.  We thought for sure Joe would crawl earlier than the others, talk earlier, walk earlier - everything.  Instead it has been quite the opposite.  He surprises us every day and in almost every way possible.

Joseph started as our laid back, go with the flow baby.  He smiled constantly, nothing bothered him, anybody could hold him.  Everybody asked "Does he ever stop smiling?"  And he is still our happy guy and not much seems to faze him, BUT... that determination and temper we've seen in our older two plenty of times is starting to come out!  It is so much fun and interesting to see the mix of relaxed yet stubborn...  sweet yet tough... I can easily come up with 3 main words to describe my older 2 kids, but I don't think I can do it with Joseph.  He never ceases to surprise me and I guess that shouldn't surprise me since it started long before he was born!

So happy birthday to my sweet baby boy.  Even though he was my biggest baby at birth and is my biggest at one year and is now moving into toddler-hood, he still is and always will be my baby.  My lovey.  My monkey, my frogger, my little turkey.  Such a sweet, adventurous and daring little guy.  This past year has given me just a glimpse of what is yet to come, but being able to spend this past year with him at home, spending each and every day with him, has made me appreciate everything so much more and look forward for what is yet to come.