A Letter to my One Year Old

Josiah,
Today is your First Birthday!!! I have no idea where the past year has gone. People say not to blink because time will just fly by, and they weren't kidding. It feels like just yesterday you were born, all 7 lb 15 oz of you. And now here we are, a full 365 days, 24.6 pounds later. You are walking, have a few words and animal sounds, throw balls, clap your hands, and love everyone!

As I sit and watch you play with your toys and watch your imagination run wild, I can't wait to see the man you will become.

You will be passionate about people. You love to smile and wave to everyone, and everyone love you back. I hope you never stop making people smile and laugh, whether you know them or not.

You're a mama's boy when you get hurt or need a good cuddle, but you LOVE playing with your Dada! Pushing him around the living room, chasing us around the house, petting the kitties, and reading stories are some of your favorite things to do!

You have been going to youth group with Mommy and Daddy for as long as I can remember, and have gone to Sunday morning worship since you were 4 days old, and you loved it all since day 1. Our Crossway family has been such a blessing for all of us! You especially love the music, especially when Mama sings and plays, or when Glorious Day is sung!

Watching you go from this sweet, fragile, tiny baby, to the crazy, energetic, loving, playful boy you are now has been such a gift from God. Years may go by, you won't rely on Mama and Dada as much as you do now, and we'll forget about the sleepless nights, the blow outs, and the noisiest toys ever known to man all going off at the same time. But we'll never forget the miracle that you are. We'll never forget how good God is for giving us you.

The first year was amazing, and I can't wait to see what is to come in the next year!

Xoxo
Mama

355 Days

How is it than in 10 days I will have a one year old?? It seems like time has flown these past 355 days. I know this blog has taken a back burner, and that's ok because if it means I'm getting to snuggle my not so little baby, experience new things as a family of 3, or am changing him into his 3rd outfit of the day because food is way more fun to smear into our clothes than our face, than I think I get a pass on not blogging!

Life has been crazy these past 355 days. I have nursed Josiah every day for 355 days. The beginning was rough, and he was drinking pumped milk for a week or so, and was supplementing with formula maybe a bottle a day for the first few weeks, but we've nursed every single day for 355 days. I am still in awe that my body has literally kept a child growing and feeding him for a year. Breast feeding has truly been one of the best things I've gotten to experience in life. I don't think I'll be a mom who breast feeds her kids till they're 10, but he's not ready to give up nursing yet. He nurse to sleep at night and during the night for comfort, and because he's a big boy and is hungry! As much as I would love him to sleep through the night and for us ALL to get a good nights sleep, I know he isn't ready yet, and that's okay! (However he CAN go more than 3 hours at a time without eating at night, so maybe that'll change soon too)

Through these past 355 days I've learned a lot about the type of mom that I am, and the type of mom I want to be. I want to be present. I want Josiah to know, even at an early age, that I will ALWAYS be there for him. If he wants me to play blocks or read books, I will. If he want me to go for a walk to the park with him, I will. If he is in a play at school and wants me there, I'm there. Josiah, Mommy will ALWAYS make the effort.

I catch myself playing games on my phone, or scrolling through Facebook, or working on our trip to Disney, while Josiah is playing on the floor with his toys, or reading a book, or watching Mickey Mouse. And I really need to be more aware of that. When we wonder why children are 2 years old and "have" to have their own tablet to function and wonder why? It's because that's what we're showing is our own priority. If we sit with a phone in our hands, our children will want to follow in those foot steps. If we have a book in our hands, they will want to have a book with them too. What we're making our priority will form what our children' priorities are. 


Sorry for lots of babbling, and not really a clear thought. Lots going through my brain!

Here's a quick update on the almost birthday boy!

Josiah is amazing! As I said above, he is still nursing like a champ, especially at night when he doesn't like to sleep for more than 3 hours at a time. But we make it work, and I wouldn't trade it for anything (she says at 3 in the afternoon and not at 3 in the morning mind you). He eats solid foods as well. Just last night for dinner he had 3 silver dollar pancakes, 2 strawberries, and half a piece of bacon for dinner! And then nursed right afterwards too!

Josiah has some interesting words and noises. He doesn't like to show off for anyone, but he says "Mama" "Dada" "Kitty" "TeeTee" (for Tori), "No" "All done" and "ut oh". We also are working on animal noises and so he can meow, whoo like an owl, and make elephant noises. But he is a chatter box with his own noises that he doesn't stop doing unless he's eating.

He loves to play with his stacking cups, blocks, and of course, his big Mickey Mouse stuffed animal. His latest toy is his push popper that he doesn't push, rather he just carries it around the house! His favorite game to play is peek-a-boo, and "push dada around the living room floor" and "smack mama's bum while she's putting toys away".

OH DID I MENTION HE'S WALKING?
He learned around 11 months and just hasn't stopped. I'm pretty sure it's more classified as running now and not walking. He is always on the move!!!


That's enough for now. Maybe I'll have some idea's soon on things to blog about...like his first birthday and party, and our upcoming trip to DISNEY WORLD!!!

Xoxo
Amanda

After his Baby Dedication

Playing in the snow!