To My Son On His First Birthday

Sweet Bennett,

The past year has been one wonderful, challenging, hilarious, fabulous adventure! I am incredibly humbled and grateful that the Lord has blessed me with the joy and responsibility of being your mother. Your dad and I delight in every day we get to spend with you.

I know that it is hardly an original thought, but it is such a wonder how much you have grown and changed since we first met you. I am amazed that I get to be a part of helping you develop and learn.

I remember clearly the exhilaration of the first night you arrived. It felt that we had waited so long to meet you - you had already captivated our hearts long before the day of your birth. But getting to see your sweet face and hold you close was a thrill so fervent it seemed my pure, overwhelming joy could light up the world. Dad and I laughed and cried and reveled in our new little family. We kept telling each other, "Can you believe it, we have a son!". Despite my exhaustion I wanted to stay awake all night just to watch you breathe and listen to your precious infant noises.


One short year later you barely resemble that pink, wrinkly little bundle we held so gently that first night. You are a hearty, curious, loving, active little BOY! It seems you find new ways to charm and amuse us every day. You are also finding new ways to stretch and develop our parenting skills as you become more independent and are forming your own preferences and opinions.



You seem to love to figure out how things work. You will open and close doors and drawers and flip light switches off and on over and over again. You love to push buttons of any kind, especially those on the TV (which is not terribly entertaining to Mommy and Daddy during a basketball game) and the one that operates the garage door.



You are also a gadget guy. Anything electronic gets your attention...the more expensive the better! Every morning you come in our room and set off on a hunt for your dad's iphone. You know just where he keeps it! Cell phones, lap tops, remote controls, your monitor and sound machine all fascinate you and seem to be much more entertaining than all your brightly colored made-for-baby toys!



You've enjoyed "playing ball" for months now. You love to push a ball around and chase after it and are really good at throwing a ball to Daddy or me. Of course Daddy can't wait to coach you further in ball playing skills from catching and hitting baseball to dribbling and shooting a basketball.



You have the greatest smile in the world. You bust out a huge, toothy grin when you see the camera. You also smile at every person that passes us when we are out eating or shopping. If the dazzling smile doesn't seem to get someone's attention or approval you show off by laughing or clapping until they look over and acknowledge you. It cracks me up.



You have been very healthy and happy your first year. You are a fabulous eater and have enjoyed trying just about every food we've put in front of you including pickles, onion, lemon and pepperoni. Among your favorites are avocado, cheese, strawberries and frozen peas. You aren't a big fan of cheerios or a plain sandwich bread. I love that so far you happily eat fruits and vegetables and are eager to try new foods. I don't look forward to the day you realize that I'm eating much different (read: less healthy) foods than I feed you. Yikes!


I could list a thousand things I love about you and hundreds of ways you amaze me and bring happiness to my life. Being your mother has taught me so many things already. As I love you in my imperfect, worldly way God has reminded me that I am His cherished child and He will always love me. As I grow in ability and understanding as a mother I am all the more humbled at how the Lord cares for me, provides for me and disciplines me in love.

As powerful and profound as my love for you is, it is but a pale, feeble representation of God's love for you. I pray that in our limited wisdom and aptitude, your father and I can point you to that love that will never fail you. It is the highest calling in our role as your parents to raise you up "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord". It inspires and terrifies me. But I trust that the God who gave you to me loves you more than I and will call you to Himself.

Happy birthday, precious boy. I adore you more than these limited words can express and I am so happy to be "Bennett's Mommy"!

love,
Mama