Landon - my child,

It's hard to come up with all the words to tell you how much I love you and how special you are to daddy and me. This past 12 months have been the best ever. I'm not who I was before you... I will never be the same again. I love that. What was life like before you? Truly...cannot remember...life has so much more meaning now.

Every moment of the day - my thoughts are on you. You've taught me self-less love. Unconditional love. How to live in the moment. I thought I knew what it was like to love a child, but nothing compares to this.

You are so... happy, smart, silly, loving, affectionate, adventerous, daring, fearless, sweet, and joyful. You love to be tickled, play games, pet Moose, walk ALL OVER the house, dump all your toys out of your toy box and put them back (sometimes...). You love to swing outside, and now swim! You are a great eater. Haven't found one thing you don't like. You're a little disposal... seriously. Bulldozer too ;) you push things and walk over or on top of toys and it doesn't phase you in the least.

I love watching you play when you don't know I'm watching. You study everything - I swear. Taking in everything..trying to figure out how things work. You love books too...and I love that!

You can say: mama, dada, baby, doggie, hot, up, hi, bye-bye. It's really neat to see you try so hard to communicate and sometimes do it so well! Sign language has been great for you/us. You're starting to blow kisses..it's so sweet.

Officially started walking unassisted 2 days before your 1st birthday!!! So proud of you...and excited for family and friends to see you be such a big boy. You're in 18 month clothes, size 4 diapers, and size 5 1/2 shoe! eek! (This is more for me to keep track!) At your 12m check up you were... 24 lb 4oz, 30 1/2 inches! Dr. said you're right on track.

You have an amazing daddy... but you already know this. He gets the best giggles out of you and you light up when he comes in the room. We are usually getting you started on dinner as 'da-da' gets home, and when you hear the back door open you immediately turn towards it and say 'hi da-da'. It's so cute! 

I am head over heels crazy for you little guy. We have our share of tough moments (that's the key word... moments...), but most of our days are filled with fun, laughing, playing, exploring, learning (both of us) and loving. I became more of an emotional mama than I expected as your birthday came closer. I thought about how you were so fresh and new 12 months earlier, how we got to experience all your firsts, and how we watched you change and grow and I wasn't ready for that to go away. Then I realized they are precious memories that will never go away and I will always look back at our first year together and smile. There are still many new firsts to come and toddler-hood is new and exciting too! You are the most precious gift I've ever been given and I feel so special that God chose daddy and I to be your parents. Big job we have to do, but you make it easy.

Happy ONE YEAR!

It's a ONE-derful life!