Charlie is ONE!

The moment I laid eyes on this sweet boy, I felt like I knew him.  I believe this is the gift of parenting your second child.  Gone is the "can I do this?" fear, it is replaced with the confidence of knowing that I am a parent, I am equipped to attend to his needs (and I can pretend that I know what I'm doing in the middle of the night when I'm really at a loss).  In those early morning hours on July 13th, I was blessed with the most amazing gift, a baby boy.  As this year unfolded, we've had our difficult moments.  The teething, the highs and lows of Julia's adjustment, unexplained sickness, and another realization that there is never enough time in the day...

Despite our adjustment, Charlie has been along from the ride from the beginning.  I laugh that our lives became easier when he arrived.  It is beyond true.  There is a contentment that seeps from his body.  To hold him in your arms is an experience in this peace.  Though he is quite proud of his recent accomplishments (which typically involve moving pretty quickly), he remains happy in the arms of someone he loves.  He makes his presence known, but it's not with bells and whistles.  It is a quiet presence with an insatiable giggle and and a sense of humor that shows that he knows what's going on around him.  His favorite things are usually his sister's toys, but he makes them his own.  He plays so differently than Julia ever did.  He is into things that she never bothered with.  He has already accomplished the stairs (under my trusty guidance...I only looked away for a minute and he was giggling at the top).  And he is teetering on his feet - ready to walk at any moment.  

This time last year, Julia was walking into the hospital room tentatively climbing on the bed to catch a glimpse of her new brother.  At this very moment he is clinging to her back, ready to climb all over her.   It is exciting to watch this unfold and anticipate our year ahead.  I'm sure it will involve many falls, scrapes, and headfirst dives into a make-shift adventure.  My delicate newborn is now becoming quite the daring child and as we hold our breath, we love every bit of it!

Happy Birthday little one!

 What a year, Charlie.  

What a year!