Happy Birthday Joshua

Oh my goodness, my little Joshua, I'm head over heels in love with you.  Your daddy and I celebrated our 7th anniversary last year with the joy of your birth just after midnight.  I will never forget how scared I was in the last moments before you were born, when things didn't seem to be going well at all, and how tightly I held you for hours into the night crying with joy and relief with you clutched to my chest.  I think you spent every single night of at least the next two months snuggled into the crook of my left arm, and goodness, I would love to swoop you up from your crib and hold you sleeping sweetly tonight.  Rocking you to bed is still a nightly joy, and I love rocking you well after you've fallen asleep, enjoying the quietness of the moment and kissing your soft baby hair. 

You've stayed close this year.  Really close ;)  In many ways I'll miss having you always on my left hip when you really take off walking and exploring more independently this coming year.  

It has been an absolute joy to watch you learn to walk this week!  All four of us are excited and proud of you, and your brother and sister have interrupted many an activity to exclaim, "Good job, Joshua!  Look, look!  He's walking again!!!"  I know you're enjoying the celebration, too, as you've stopped and clapped with us a few times!    

I really enjoy watching you learn. In the past few months you learned to climb down from the couch and slide down steps feet first to avoid a stumble.  I will often stop to watch you navigate these little obstacles, carefully working your way over a pile of couch cushions or fingering the smaller details of a toy.  You're also so quick to pick up on what others find funny, and you already amuse your brother and sister with dinner table antics -- anything that makes them giggle, like slapping your tray to make your food bounce.  There is much you find hysterical yourself, especially peek-a-boo.  You giggle hysterically when we hide our faces playing peek-a-boo with you, but I think it's even funnier to watch you hold up your right palm over your right eye, and then pull it away with a laugh and look of achievement, sure you have hidden and revealed yourself as well! 

In addition to walking, you've begun signing more this week.  Both you and I are finding it much easier to figure out meal times now that you're asking "please" when you'd like to eat more and declaring yourself "all done" when you're finished.  You're just adorable rubbing your tummy with your little hand for "please."

It was so fun to notice a few nights ago as I sang "Jesus Loves the Little Children," that you actually cooed along with me, hitting the vast majority of the notes right on key.  You seriously love our Music Together class, giggling with delight when we turn down the hall on our way there.  This week you stood up to walk and actually stepped in rhythm to the song playing, a good 10 or 12 steps before hitting the ground crawling a bee-line to the pile of instruments.   

There is nothing you love more than being in the midst of energetic family play.  You squeal with delight when Daddy carries you around playing hide-and-seek with Jonathan and Abby, and you love tumbling in Abby's bed or a pile of cushions with them!  But when you're playing by yourself with toys, you're rarely alone for more than a minute or two before either Jonathan or Abby comes over just to kiss your head on their way to whatever they are up to next.

Waving "bye bye" is among your favorite things right now.   At the mall, at church, or in an elevator, you love looking over your Daddy's left shoulder and waving at anyone you can find walking behind us!  You get a LOT of waves in return, and your Halmony jokes that you're cut out for a career in politics!

 Joshua, I can't wait to spend this coming year with you.  Watching your personality bubble out and getting to know more of you each day is such great fun.

We are so grateful to be celebrating your first birthday with you this week.  Happy Birthday, our little Joshua.  We love you like crazy!