one year old

From this,

taken Jan 3rd, 2009 (only a few hours old)

to this,

taken April 2nd, 2009 (three months old)

to this,

taken July 4th, 2009 (six months old)

to this,

taken October 8th, 2009 (nine months old)

to this,

PICTURE TO COME

taken January 3rd, 2010 (one year old!)

Andrew, you are a wonderful little boy. Your birth was definitely the most intense moment of your life (and mine!!), because since that time, your laid back personality has become more apparent every day. That's not to say that you aren't capable of strong or intense emotion, but for the most part, you are a calm, happy little person.

You wake up smiling, ready for a day of play and looking forward to the moment your brothers will come bounding into the room to greet you. That's if you don't slide out of bed to stand at the door, banging until someone comes to open for you.

The rest of the day, you are generally happy to toddle around the living room while Liam does school, watching out the window and eating any bits of food you might find on the floor (good thing we held off on that dog or you'd have some competition). You love when your brothers decide to make a game out of crawling around the furniture and under the curtains with you. You squeal when we pretend to chase you. You give the biggest, BEST hugs.

We kinda think you're trying to trick us into thinking we could handle another baby...

Andrew, this year of firsts -first smiles, first giggles, first teeth, first steps- HAS. BEEN. WONDERFUL. Watching you grow and change and learn has been nothing short of amazing. We are blessed daily by your sweet presence, your easy smile, your twinkling eyes, and your tight little hugs.

You are a gift.

We love you.

Happy 1st Birthday, Monkey.

P.S. While I'd appreciate it if you'd stop growing and changing so quickly, you are more than welcome to start sleeping like a normal one year old. You've been nursing like a newborn the past three nights AND I AM WIPED OUT.