Happy Birthday, Henry!

Dear Henry,

You have been part of our family for an entire year! That just seems unbelievable. You are the sweetest, happiest baby and have made our family complete.

You have almost tripled your birth weight from 8 pounds to weighing in now at 22 pounds. Eating is something that you take quite seriously. You'd sit in your highchair eating all day if you could. Anything from raspberries to tacos can be found on your tray. Although, nothing stays on your tray long. It either goes in your belly or lands on the floor.

You are wearing mostly 12 month clothes along with some 18 month clothes. It's harder to get clothes to fit you than it was for your sister. Dresses are a lot more forgiving than jon-jons.

Bedtime is between 6:30 and 7:30. You are quite flexible about sleeping. Nap time is around 9 and then again around 1:30 or 2. Both naps are about 1.5 hours now although the morning one is sometimes extended when you are really exhausted. You are sleeping through the night most nights but teething causes lots of sleep issues for you my friend. Your mouth is full of teeth. It seems like a new one pops through your gum weekly. Your clothes are covered in drool and you gnaw on everything from fingers to watermelon rinds.

You are walking a lot. Every day, you crawl a little less and walk a little more. We took you for your first haircut this morning so maybe all the comments about what a beautiful girl you are will stop. Cutting of those precious curls took away some of your baby look. Trust me, you were overdue for a haircut.

Busy is your middle name especially if you spot a tasty snack. Before I know it, you are all the way across the room, trying to mumch on your latest treasure. You climb the furniture, the hearth and even the bathtub. You play independently and can spend a lot of time trying to figure things out. Everything is fair game including strollers, grocery carts and lawnmowers. You push those toys all over the house with a huge grin spread across your face.

I always knew that I wanted a daughter but never imagined that having a son would be so incredible. It really is true that little boys love their Mama. You rest your little head on my shoulder, clap with joy when you see me and kiss me all day long. You love your Daddy and sister too although Evie is starting to give more hugs than you might prefer.

I made a quick trip to the grocery store tonight and it seemed so strange to be shopping on your birthday when last year I was holding you and memorizing the features of your beautiful face. So much has changed in this last year, from the color of your hair to the size of your hands but you are still my baby. Part of me, will always think of you as that tiny little bundle of joy in the hospital even when you are 6 feet tall and have your own family.

Henry, you are our beloved son and we are so incredibly grateful for your life. It is our honor and privilege to be your parents and to love you for all the days of our life. You are the perfect son for us and we love you more than you will ever know until you have a baby of your own one day. Happy Birthday, Henry!

Love,

Mommy and Daddy