Happy 1st Birthday Joshua!!

Dearest Joshua,

Happy 1st Birthday my little toddler boy. This first year has been a challenge but you have made it all worth while. You are such a happy little boy who loves life, his family and most especially his daddy. Man, what a daddy's boy you are!! It's been amazing to me, watching you catch up to your big brother in so many ways. You are so sweet, I just love your disposition, even when you're letting me know you've waited long enough. I'm sorry that you had to wait while I did other things (like take care of Joey), I feel badly for that, but there can only be one only child and son, I'm sorry, it wasn't you. If there was a way (without giving up Joey) for you to have been an only child for your first year too I would have done it happily!

The strides you have made this first year, have blown me away. From refusing to breastfeed to being a great little bottle feeder (my first one too), developing your milk allergy to growing out of it by 10mos!! You love your paci enough to let it settle you down when my hands are full, you sat up early, rolled even earlier and walked earlier than I thought possible!

You put up with your big brothers abuse (I'm sorry he beats on you and bits you when he's frustrated. It just breaks my heart every time I see him doing that to you but he really does love you more than you will ever know!) And the amount of love you have for him is abounding! He's luckym I think you'd take his head off if you didn't love him so much!

I love how you are so wonderful at finding yourself a toy and occupying yourself for so long!

You were so easy to take off the bottle which I'm so grateful for as I didn't know the first step in that weaning process, you made it so easy for both of us. Maybe you'll give up the paci easy too? I'm praying it's so.

You have such a special look about you, one that says watch out world, I'm going to get you!

You sit there and take it all in, I know you're just a little sponge about everything. I think you're really going to give me a run for the money in years to come.

Thank you for all your wonderful smiles, they are so precious to me. Your beautiful green eyes just burst with love and life when you smile. Your chipmunk cheeks, my goodness, all I can say is don't lose them too soon ok?

Until you are a parent you will never know the depth of love you can have for your child and until you have two you can't begin to imagine how it's possible to love more than one. You, Joshua, captured my heart from day one and my love for you has multiplied exponentially since the day you were born! It's been absolutely amazing having you in my life. Thank you for choosing me to be your Momma.

Thank you for being the wonderful little boy that you are and being my precious little Joshy. Mr. Smelly McFeets means the world to me!!!

I love you forever and ever and always Joshy and forever and always my baby you'll be!
Momma