1 Year

Dear Justice,

My sweet boy! You are a year old! How can this be!?! So much so, that I've struggled with writing you letters almost every single month because I feel like Time has been a terrible thief and I don't want acknowledge that its won!

That said, the inevitable happened and your very first birthday rolled around. In fact, it rolled right in during the Epic Plague of 2016. For TWO WEEKS our family has been fighting the stomach bug from Hades. First Ransom, then me, followed shortly by you. Oh sweet boy. The only tiny ( and I mean teeny) good thing is that you and I have had a lot of quality cuddle time the last few days. We've slept together for three nights in a row when we were both fever-y and sad. And then yesterday when everything you swallowed quickly came out the other end ( one day when you're a little older we will laugh about the word POOP together, it'll be grand.) you sat in my lap and laid your head against my chest, ALLL daaaaaay looooong. And a really huge part of me loved every second. Because to be honest, you're not really big on the cuddles. You like to go!
Most days you are cruising around the house NON STOP. The only times you deem it worthy to stop is if you've some how gotten past all our barriers and gotten into the bathroom and you are able to lean dangerously far over the bathtub side, or ...even better stick your hands in the toliet ( that ONE TIME!!! and it will HAUNT ME FOREVER!!!). You also get pretty excited if you can get into your brother and sisters room and climb on as many pieces of furniture and toys you can find. Oh what joy! To find trouble!

Thankfully, you have found a few other hobbies and have enjoyed dancing ( the 'wave your arms like you just don't care' is your signature move), knocking all the magnets off the fridge, pushing your wagon full of books ( to weigh it down so it doesn't go impossibly fast!), playing peek-a-boo with yourself, destroying your siblings toys with your laser eyes (ok, this isn't true. You don't have laser eyes, but you would THINK YOU DID the way your siblings start screaming when you even LOOK towards them when they are playing! But don't worry, I've told them they are just going to have to get use to it! You're going to be even MORE in their stuff then you are now! hashtag third child forever) and crawling away from people laughing maniacally. I can already tell that as soon as you learn to walk ( read: run) that you and your sister are going to agree that being chased is the best game possible.

On that point, I am happy to say that you are following in your siblings foot steps and falling into the "late walker" category! You currently don't even like to stand un-assisted unless you are tricked into doing so. As soon as you realize what has happened, you sit right down.  Hallelujah! I still haven't recovered from you learning to crawl! I also haven't recovered from having to take you to the ER on your birthday-eve for an IV drip because of this awful virus, but thankfully on the other hand I also haven't recovered from how cute you looked at your very first pumpkin patch, which we attended this month or how you didn't cry at ALL at the fireworks at the Corn Maize, or how you were a perfect angel even though it was 2 hours past your bedtime when we were leaving. Of course, you DID projectile vomit all over yourself and the car a little later as payback, but that's kinda normal for you!

In fact, even though you've really had a relatively "calm" month in the throwing up department you knew that I'd be nostalgic today and you decided to mark your birthday by throwing up all over aisle 7 at HEB. Awww. How did you know that probably the one word I'd use to describe this last year would probably be "puke"?!? Anyway, it was a sweet gift.
One that really did remind me that its nice when your kid throws up because they are actually SICK ( which I am pretty sure was the case this time) rather than just their normal wednesday afternoon activities. One day we will look back at this year and shake our heads, we'll have forgotten the smell of vomit, the very very stained carpet in your bedroom ( although that'll probably still be there, I don't think we will have been able to afford to get you new carpet anytime soon, sorry), the hundreds of loads of laundry or the fact that I don't just carry changes of clothes for you in the car, but also for myself thanks to that time you threw up on me while we were picking your brother up from school. Yes, one day these will all be things we laugh at together. And I am really glad for that. I am so glad that you are in my life. In OUR life! Ransom rushed home from school with the card he had made for you in class, and Tabitha wore her balloon skirt today in your honor. Your father and I absolutely swoon at your little chubby face and your three toothed-smile. You are our delight.

One day you will grow up and you will show Christ's love to others, you will be a Man of Justice for those who have none or are to weak to stand up for themselves. You will change the world, even if it is just for one person. Oh how thankful I am for you!

Happy Birthday Justice Tirian,
Mommy