Happy 1st birthday, Jack!

Jack, what a beautiful boy you're becoming! We love you so much, and your giggles and hoots, bear crawl and your cheeky grins all bring us great delight. In honor of your first birthday today, here is a collection of your momma's favorites from this past year.

What a cute baby burrito you were in the hospital!


Your brother loved you from the very beginning...


So did Dada...


Everyone wanted their turn to hold you...


Or to try and make you smile...






Mama likes watching you sleep,


and loves that you have your Dada's big blue eyes and dimply knuckles.


You've already proven yourself to be a great traveler...


And met lots of really wonderful people... (Eric's grandma, Ellen Wheeler


and our niece Sally Joy Fender - who looks like a tiny babydoll in this photo but is actually an appropriately-sized newborn!)


And made good pals with the little guys at Mom's Group... (Jack's in dark green, then clockwise - Elliot, Aidan, Sam, and Cooper... we were missing Caden and Beckett that day to be the complete set of boys!!)


You've celebrated Christmas...


And been to a family wedding...


You've learned to play...


and grab your toes...


and do push ups...


You can sit...


And stand...


And crawl on your hands and knees...


and today you "cruised" for the first time!


You've eaten LOTS of good food! Plastic chicken legs...


and applesauce...


and corn on the cob...


and now, birthday cupcake!


I love you, Jack! And I thank God for you every day!