He's Really One

He's one. One. From out of the ashes of our broken hearts came this little man--this little person who would never have been--our little Evan Christopher. What would we do without him??

This past year has gone amazingly fast. How is it possible that my pregnancy with him consisted of days on end when I could do little more than sit and watch the clock tick away the seconds while I obsessively checked his heart beat? Those nine months seemed like they would never end--or that they would end but not in a good way. But they did end, and they ended in a very good way. He's amazing in a way I can't describe and few can understand.

He's walking all over...has been for nearly 2 months now. He has that funny toddler sway to him--that stiff-legged swagger that makes him topple when he needs to go faster than his feet can move. He's done more than a few face plants lately as he desperately tries to run to keep up with his very busy and very fast sisters.

He loves to climb--EVERYTHING. Shelves, ladders, stools, buckets, tables, chairs...if it is in front of him, he wants to get on top of it. And the smile on his face when he is on top is usually worth any damage he created getting there!

Evan has a laugh that wins over anyone within earshot. It is the sound of pure joy that comes from deep within his soul. His sisters can bring it out with little effort and a game of peek-a-boo will always draw out at least a giggle.

I'm not sure what else I can say about the millions of little things that bring a smile to my face when it comes to my little guy. The way he cuddles up against me in the morning, the way his warm breath brushes my cheeks as we sleep, the way he manages to get into the dog water dish every time the door is left open for even a millisecond, the way he smiles, cracks himself up, says "Uh OH" as if throwing things on the floor was an accident...the list goes on. What can I say? I'm in love.

Happy Birthday, Little Guy. My wish for you is that you will always know how important you are to me, to us and to our family. We love you.