A Letter to Josiah on His 1st Birthday

Dear Josiah,

Yesterday you turned 1 year old. Your dad and I cannot believe that it has been an entire year since you blessed us with your little presence. Every day I look at you and see this little miracle that God has given us on loan for a little while and am in awe. Until you were born I had never known the love that happens between a mother and her child. It is the most powerful love I have ever felt. It is like loving you with my whole being. If I could count the ways that I love you, Josiah, they would number the stars in the sky.

I love the way you smile all the time. How did we get so lucky as to have such a fun, happy little guy. Yah, there are sad times; like when you are getting more new teeth (but who wouldn't be sad) or when we have to wipe your little nose when you have a cold. But 99% of the time you are a happy baby...ok not baby any more, time is going so fast.

I love your intense curiosity, your need to search every nook and cranny of the house just to see what's there and if there is a button you can push. How you study your toys until you figure them out.

I love how you snuggle first thing in the morning and the last thing before bed...especially since they are the only times during the day that you snuggle anymore. There is just to much to do and to much to explore:)

I love how you call out Mama when you are sad and need someone to comfort you. Even when it is only my name that you call for days because you just need to be held by your mommy.

I love how you get sooooo excited when you walk to me that you leap into my arms.

I love your facial expressions. They are so precious. How you raise your one eyebrows or how when you say "Uh-oh" you look so serious with your little round Oh and scrunched eye brows.

I love how social you are...but at the end of the day you love to be at home with mom and dad. Because I now that one day you will not have time to spend with us each evening. One day you will be grown and have a family of your own to go home to and spend each evening and I look forward to that too.

I love your love for music. I especially love how you dance; you wiggle your but and just yesterday you started shaking your head side to side. How you have no interest in TV unless there is music playing. How you have favorite songs on a CD that here over and over...I know you love them best because you get very excited. One of your favorite songs is MICKEY...which of course is a big hit with me:)

There are so many ways that I love you, my son. And most of them I cannot put into words. But know this, Josiah, you will always be loved and taken care of because no matter how much I love you, God loves you more.

Thank you for a great 1st year...I cannot wait to explore, dance, and giggle with you for many years to come.

With all the Love in the World,
Your Mom