Happy First Birthday Colton!

Dear Colton,

Today is your first birthday! I didn't think I would be so excited about it, but today I wanted to shout it from the rooftops how happy I am that you are 1 and what an awesome year we have had with you. It went by so quickly...sometimes I look at you, especially now that you are almost walking and I think you look SO big! But then other times, especially when you sleep, you still look like such a fragile little baby.

Today you woke up from your nap and I went upstairs to get you out of your crib. Sometimes you are grumpy when you wake up (just like mommy) and it takes a while for you to wake up. So, I sit with you in the rocking chair and rock you for a few minutes and let you rub your eyes and rest your head on my chest until you are ready to go downstairs and play. Today as I rocked you, you fell back to sleep. I made sure to remember everything about you. You smelled like baby sweat and sunscreen. Your little mouth was all puckered up. I thought about how wonderful it was just to hold you in my arms and that someday you would be too big to sit in my lap. I also thought that no matter what happens, I will always be your mommy and I will always love you. And that is the best thing I have ever had happen to me. One year ago today my water broke and a nurse said, "Looks like you're going to have a baby today!" I thought I wasn't ready, you were more than 3 weeks early...But I never knew just how ready I was to have you in my life.

I love you more than I can ever tell you. Happy Birthday my beautiful, beautiful boy!

Love,
Mom