my one year old.

our little boy turned one this past friday. how crazy is that? it doesn't seem possible. a year used to not mean so much to me...but when your little baby grows and changes so much in a year, it is a different story. the photo above was taken when he was a couple of weeks old. the pictures below were taken on his birthday.

(our mac is not working, so i couldn't access his birth photos)

i have been a bit emotional this past week, especially leading up to his birthday. the wednesday before his birthday i rocked him an extra long time (i had been rocking him longer than usual for several days already)...and of course i was crying. i was just thinking about how he isn't a bitty baby anymore...and how the first year is gone...we will never have it back. he is growing up so fast, and i absolutely love each stage, but as a mother i am also sad. sad that my little baby isn't so very little anymore...sad that time is passing so quickly. i want to hold on to these years...they are so very special.

on the other hand, i am loving all the new things that cruz is learning! he is getting so big! the week of christmas he took off with his walking skills. and just last tuesday, he started standing up on his own...without holding onto anything! now you will find him just walking all around the house, jabbering up a storm. he loves to talk. he's always holding things up and making a certain noise...it's like he's asking us what it is. once we answer him, he puts it back down and is content. he loves to play with our phones...he has figured out how to turn mine on even. he has a certain little jabber when he is playing with the phones...and he loves to hold them up to his ear (well, more like the back of his neck) and say hello. he is eating a ton...he hardly ever refuses food. he will eat pretty much whatever i put in front of him.

cruz has brought an incredible amount of joy into our lives. we can't imagine life without him now! we thank God for blessing us with him, and we are excited for the future with him!