Happy Birthday Landon!

Dear Landon,

Today you've been with us for one year. From the moment you were born (4 weeks early) you showed us that planning and predictability were a thing of the past. You've taught us so much already- how to laugh through stress, exhaustion, and fear, how to love each other through anything, and how to soak up the little moments in life. I'm never going to pretend like our first year with you was easy, but there was a lot of happiness in there too: the night you started getting better in the NICU, the day we took you home from the hospital, your first smiles, your first noises, how nuts you'd get when we turned on your mobile, your newborn snuggles, your special smiles for clocks, your obvious pride when you finally rolled over, the first time you figured out you could chase Lilly, splashing in the tub, and so many other memories that make me smile.

Now at 12 months you love your Lilly cat, walker wagon, books (well chewing on them anyway), chewy bath toys, and anything that makes a crinkly sound. You love to carry something in your hand while you crawl and especially like to bring your blocks over to the hard tile to make loud noises while you bang them on the floor. You've discovered stairs and crawl up them so fast and then wait patiently at the top for us to find you. You and your dad have growling contests and it's one of the funniest things I've ever heard- it's apparently a manly bonding ritual. You like to help your dad with all power tool activities and you love to play with my hair products from the cabinet under the sink. You're turning into a pretty good eater and prefer mac and cheese, spaghettios, yogurt, watermelon and apple pieces. You recently discovered the fun noise pasta makes when you squish it in your fists, so now at dinner you place a noodle in each hand and squish them while I shovel noodles into your mouth with a spoon. It's working pretty well and you seem pleased with all the squishing that goes on. You have such a personality and funny expressive faces, you keep your daddy and me laughing even when you're also making us very, very tired. The best part of my day is when you two come wake me up- your daddy launches you onto the bed and you crawl over the mounds of blankets with a giant smile trying to find me, and then we all snuggle.

We love you so much, happy birthday big man!

Love,
mommy