One!

Taylor's first birthday party was a success! The weather couldn't have been nicer on Saturday and most of our family came to help Tay celebrate. He was a little groggy and weirded out by all the on-lookers as he opened his gifts (he never smiled once) and ate his cake, but he was in a good mood which is really all I hoped for. The cake and cupcakes turned out really well and I was proud of myself for actually pulling it off. When it came time for Taylor to dig in to the cake, there was a lot less digging and a lot more picking. The majority of the time he just used his little thumb and forefinger to pick at the cake, sampling it while trying to stay as clean as possible.

It was a really fun day, and when we got home he insisted on playing with each new toy, even though he was practically falling asleep sitting up. I can't imagine how much that kind of excitement wears out a little person.

Part of me just can't even comprehend the fact that my baby has already been with us a year, and another part of me can't even imagine life before he came into our lives. Taylor is the most incredible little boy, and the level of love and adoration I feel for him is something that only another mother could understand. He is the absolute sunshine of my life and I have loved watching him grow and learn this past year. He's such a curious little person and always wants to know what things are and how they work. He is also a boy through and through, spending his days making car and dinosaur noises, getting into mischief, and craving the outdoors. He is also very compassionate and always gets so concerned when someone is hurt or upset in any way. Although he is very independent, he also loves to snuggle (something Mommy loves, too!) and give hugs and kisses.

I absolutely love being a mother. Yes, it is hard. And yes, sometimes I feel like I need a break. But at the root of it all, motherhood has helped me develop so many attributes that I lacked before - patience, understanding, confidence, and self worth to name a few. I think it's true that as much as we teach our children, we learn more from them than they'll ever learn from us.

Thanks to everyone who came to Tay's party! Taylor loves you all! His official birthday is the day after tomorrow, when I can officially say I have a one-year-old!