1st Birthday Letter

Dear Titus,

Wow sweet boy, can you possibly be one? This year has flown by as you have grown and changed and though I didn't think there was any way you could get any sweeter, you have. And so here I am, writing your very first birthday letter.

Words cannot express how thankful we are for you - God's suprise gift to us. He knew we needed you and He worked everything out just right. This week I've had tears in my eyes more time then I can count thinking about you and about your first mom. She was so sweet and so kind and I'm sure she was thinking of you this week, too. I wish she could see you now!

I'll never forget the day you were born. I think I might have cried a gallon of tears. I was so happy and so nervous. You were very little and you had a rough start. I saw you in your incubator and couldn't believe that you could possibly be ours. To me, you were perfect and beautiful. I was almost afraid to hold you because you seemed so tiny. Your dad and I couldn't get enough of you as we rocked you and held you constantly. When we got home, your brothers were so attentive and gentle in caring for you. They were so happy to have a little brother. We were all thrilled and relieved when you became legally forever a part of our family in November - I might have shed a few more tears then, too. I'm a little emotional like that as you will learn.

This year you have developed by leaps and bounds. You started eating your first food (rice cereal) at 4 1/2 months, crawling at 6 months, walking at 9 1/2 months, and feeding yourself at 10 1/2 months. You are so motivated to keep up with your brothers! You love to tease and laugh and be tickled. You love to rest and rock, to hug and kiss (the kisses you blow are so sweet!), to dance and play with all the toys and mostly to be the center of attention. You have a few words - mama (you waited awhile on this one :)), dada, bye-bye, hi, nigh-night, love you, and baba. You definitely can be shy but once you warm up, there is no stopping you. You often prefer your uncles to your aunts but you tend to want mommy and daddy pretty equally (though I think that you want me more when you are ready to cuddle, right?). You can't wait for Daddy to get home in the evenings! You already do a great job of following one-step commands and you love to play games. You amaze us every day and every day we thank God for you.

Titus, we love you so much! You bring so much joy to our lives. We seriously cannot believe what a perfect addition you are to our family. We look forward to seeing what this next year will bring for you as you continue to be a blessing to your dad and me.

I love you forever and always, no matter what. Happy 1st Birthday, Son!

Love,
Mommy