Almost a year...

Seriously. 11 months {almost}. 1 YEAR {almost}.  

This has literally been the fastest year of my life.  It didn't seem like it was going very fast about 10 months ago when I thought I was dying with the sleeplessness.  Isn't that how motherhood is?  When you're in the middle of it, in the thick of no sleep and crying and all that, it seems...ENDLESS.  But then.  Somewhere in there you turn a corner and a whole year has past.

Sometimes I don't think I've really appreciated this year.  I'll be honest and say sometimes instead of relishing in the here-and-now moments, I was pushing my baby towards the next milestone.  "Oh, if he'll just sleep 5 hours at a time", "I can't wait until he's sitting up", "I wish he would go ahead and crawl already." "Please, don't make me see 4 a.m. today"...etc...etc...etc.  It's just hard to stop and smell the roses, if you will, until one day you notice that the roses have withered away.

As I look back on this first year of Jack's life, it hasn't all been easy or fun.  There have been times where I didn't think I would ever have a restful sleep again.  I'm still not sure I will ever enjoy mealtime again :).  But oh my goodness, the boy can melt my heart.  Babies make you forget every bad thing that has ever happened.  He makes these faces that turn my heart to mush.  Yes, he is tiring and loud and sometimes demanding, but I am madly in love with the boy.  Plus, I imagine he's only going to get louder and more tiring in the years to come so I better just enjoy the ride.

He's developing a personality that's all his own and what a special thing to witness.  I'm literally watching a miracle unfold as he grows into a person.  A tiny little person with opinions {uhh, yes} and traits unique to him.

He looooooves reading books and dancing and talking up a storm.  He loves cars and balls and being destructive.  He loves to make noise and run crawl away and laugh hysterically.  He is obsessed with opening and closing doors/drawers/cabinets and putting anything in his mouth and climbing stairs.  He loves eating and rocking and being outside.  He hates his car seat and getting his diaper changed.  He's not fond of clothes either.  He would live in the bathtub if he could and thinks his T hung the moon.  He loves barking/mooing/roaring and waving bye bye.  He hates being alone or feeling ignored.  Please don't make him wait for food.  He could eat a whole thing of puffs in one sitting.  His 4 top teeth scare me a little {they look huge} and I'm obsessed with his hair.  He loves pulling his sister's hair and grinding his teeth and screeching at the top of his lungs.

Do you see what I mean?  All these things and he's not even a year old yet!  He is my most favorite boy in the world and I don't want to miss these precious moments that are literally molding and shaping him into the boy and man he will grow up to be. 

 I'm going to do everything I can to stop and smell the roses every day!