Happy Birthday!

Yay! Cake!

Happy first birthday my sweet boy!!

Oh how you have changed our lives, so many peoples lives, in this past year!

You made a mommy out of someone that wasn't quite sure what God had planned for her.

You made a daddy out of someone that God handpicked.

You gave your Grand Dude something to look forward to, even on his darkest days and hardest trials of his illness.

You gave everyone in your large family entertainment and fun times playing with you.

You have several ready-made friends that are your same age.

From the moment I found out about you, I couldn't wait to see you. I wanted to know if you were a boy or a girl, if your eyes would be blue or brown, what color hair you would have. Guthrie genes run strong through the females, so I wondered how much you would look like me. And after nine long months, you were finally here, and looked just like your uncle Caleb, who looks a lot like me.

You have more energy than I can even imagine! I knew you were going to be an active little dude because you spent very little time being still in the womb! But its your curiousity and need for exploration that keeps you moving constantly. You never have too little to do.

You have traveled many times in your young life. Several trips to Waco, some overnight stays in Keller, and a trip to Crystal Beach. You are always prepared to run around with us, no matter where we go. It has never phased you to spend a whole day in and out of the car, just going along for the ride and whatever it brings! I am thankful that you are more than willing to be carted around to whatever activity we have.

From day one you did things your own way. At less than an hour old, you were already lifting your head off of my chest! You were very alert, and preferred to be positioned in a manner that would allow you to observe all the activity. It didn't take long for us to figure out that you liked to sit in your bouncer in front of the TV and watch Ranger games. You would sit for almost an entire game, talking and laughing and enjoying the game. You even got upset when they took a commercial break!

By one month you were getting rice cereal in your night bottle. By 3 and a half months you began eating solid baby food. First you tried plain rice cereal, which was much too bland for you, but you took to sweet potatoes quickly! Man could you put away the food! You skipped right over the step 1 foods and went straight to the larger and thicker step 2 jars, and licked them clean every time! Although you went through many phases of not wanting to drink your bottles, never did you turn down food. By 9 months you were incorporating table food and the Gerber Graduate meals. You never turned up your nose at a single food! You would scream for our food, even if you had just eaten a meal. Burgers, Mexican food, it didn't matter what it was, you thought you could eat it. So it wasn't long until you pushed aside the Gerber meals and preferred table food only. Just last Sunday we ordered you your first child's meal off the menu! A grilled cheese with applesauce and Teddy Grahams.

You are such a busy bee that at barely 7 months you were crawling, and pulled up in your crib the same day. Then at 10 months you started trying to walk. By now, you are pretty much running everywhere you go! And your arm span! Grand Dude calls you Inspector Gadget arms due to your strange ability to reach things that seem much too far for your little arms.

Music is deep in your genes, and it was obvious from early on that you were drawn to it. You liked loud music, and anytime music played on TV you would turn to look at it. Your favorite was anything on an Apple commercial! When you started standing, you added a dancing element to the music obsession. Can't stand still to a good beat, just like your mama! At first it was just bouncing, then you threw in a swaying action, and just recently you started stomping your feet and turning in circles! My, you are entertaining! And your facial expressions, so funny! You are so expressive, and make the silliest faces. I wish I had a camera in hand all the time just to capture the funny looks you give!

This year has flown by so fast. The fastest of my life. I cannot believe you are already one! Just yesterday you were a snuggly little cuddle bug, right?? Slow down a little, so that I can savor all these stages of your life! Thank you so much for filling the hole in my life and heart that I didn't even know was there! Mommy loves you so much, little man!