Happy Birthday (and farewell winter!)

My sweet baby boy,

I do believe this is the last day I can technically call you that, although I am sure I will continue to do so until the day your next sibling comes along (or perhaps longer!)...

I have a terrible memory that seems to be getting worse the more I delve into motherhood. But I do remember VERY well the day that you were born- not the pain, but the joy. Feelings and emotions that I have difficulty putting into words, but lets just say the beginning of a connection I never understood could exist. Truly, my bond with you is different from any other and I am grateful to be your mama. I am sorry we didn't do much on your special day, but I hope to make it up to you this week, as the weather continues to warm up and we can do more and more things you love outside. Today, however, I did let you climb up and down the stairs in our apartment for a very long time. We also took Roofus on an extra long walk, just you and me at 6:30 a.m., another favorite activity of yours these days. You didn't care much for your birthday breakfast of rhubarb and apple cobbler that I stayed up late making the night before, but surprisingly, and sadly for me, this has become the norm recently- I don't want to say just yet that you have become a picky eater, because your mood has been different all around lately so it could be something else, so I will wait it out for now.

Here are just a few pictures from April:

We discovered a beautiful little farm nearby, and oh how you love animals! Quite possibly as much as your sister!

Easter Sunday, out at the park with Daddy while Mom enjoyed cooking without interruption; it made for a lovely spring dinner.

I am finally beginning to accept your becoming a toddler, especially since it comes with some of my favorite milestones. You took your first steps on the eve of your birthday, and also started signing and saying "more" that day! You love the attention you get when you do something new or good, the look you get on your face is so cute. You have started getting more into cars and trains and make lots of sounds as you push them along. Your babbling is beginning to sound more adult-like: long strings of sentences with great prosodic variation but filled with total gibberish. Love it.

I hear you waking up (after a 5 hour stretch, wow!) so that is all for now. Love you lots,

Mama