Dear JP

Dear JP,

Today you are ONE! I can not believe how fast this year has gone but at the same time it seems like you've been a part of our family for so much longer. When we found out we were having another baby it was a HUGE surprise. I was definitely in shock for quite a few weeks. I knew from the moment I found out that I was pregnant that you were a boy. We didn't find out ahead of time if you were a boy or a girl but I just KNEW. Your daddy refused to believe it and I think it took him a while after you were born to really believe it! When you were born I was the first one in the room to see that you were a boy. The nurses all laughed because I didn't say "it's a boy", I said "I was right!" You were the best surprise we could have ever asked for!

JP, I could not imagine our family without you in it. Your sisters absolutely adore you. They were also quite shocked when they found out about you. Some of them weren't so sure about another baby. Yeah, they got over that real fast. They think you are the BEST. BABY. EVER. They want to do everything for you. They want you to play with them. They want to hug and kiss you all the time. Even Ruthie, our little "bull in the china shop", has always been so gentle with you. While they may have thought you were the best baby ever since the moment you were born, you were not sure at all about them at first. For the first few months you stared at them with big, fearful eyes. Now you are always right in the middle of what they're doing and I love listening to you make them laugh and vice versa. You follow them around and overall they're pretty tolerant of you getting in the middle of whatever they're doing. You let them dress you up as the "king" so they think you're pretty great. The other day you were outside with Ellie and Ruthie and you were waiting to grab them at the bottom of the slide as they slid down. All three of you thought this was hysterical. I could have listened to y'all laughing all day.

I think there is something special about a baby that you know will be your last. While it's really not okay that you still get up at night (usually only once and its pretty close to morning) I have more patience with it and snuggle with you a little longer because you are the last of my babies I will do this with. Every milestone you hit is bittersweet. Smiling, laughing, crawling, walking. You are the last of my babies to have these "firsts". Every step forward you turn into more of a little boy and less of a baby. It hurts my heart a little that you already have big boy hair (and have had to have a few haircuts!). I miss the soft baby fuzz. Just one more way you are growing up too fast! You still have a little spot under my chin that you like to lay your head and I dread the day when you stop doing that. You already have gotten to where you don't want to snuggle as much but every now and then you'll crawl over and sit yourself in my lap and I melt, every single time.

When I look back at your first year you were not my easiest baby nor were you my hardest. You are you. You are the baby that is perfect for our family. And you are not so much a baby anymore. I have loved getting to know you this year. I love your sweet smile and your frantic wave "hello" and goodbye" to everyone you see. I love your sweet laugh and your determination when you want something. I love your sensitive side and your tough "boyish" side. The little boy who shakes and screams when the hair dryer turns on is the same little boy who loves to hit the washing machine over and over because it makes a loud noise.

JP I can't wait to see what this next year holds for you. I can't wait to have lots of fun adventures with you and see what kind of trouble you and Ruthie can get into. You bring me so much joy and I love you more than you will ever know! Happy birthday sweet boy!

Love,

Mama