Music time with Papa

Our little guy turns 1!

Happy Birthday, Cole!

He turned 1 in February, and though I'm late posting, I'm so proud of our little guy!

This year has been a bit of a whirlwind, as the busier we get the faster our time flies.  

Cole has experienced more than many babies his age.  

2 trips to the zoo

1 trip to the aquarium

1 trip to the World of Coke

2 trips to the beach (one on each coast)

Cole with his Daddy at Tybee Island, east coast

Cole in San Diego

several trips to special doctors

Cole with his brachial plexus specialist, Dr. Ratner

lots of therapy sessions

flying across the country (and back) in an airplane

Cole is on the airplane with Calla.  He is wearing a shirt exactly like the shirt his Daddy wore to work  when we were first married

meeting his Grandad and Great Grandparents in the same weekend

getting sick almost every other week (pneumonia on his birthday)

going from having a completely paralyzed arm to being able to lift it, bend it, reach over his head, feed himself, crawl, pull up, and cruise (all developmentally on time) -- all in just one year!!

How Cole held his right arm most of the time in the beginning

He also learned to say many words: hi, bye bye, up, all done, e i e i o, piggy sound, monkey sound, doggy sound, car sound, milk, uh oh...

He learned that he loves black beans and anything with fruit in it to cover up the taste of yucky veggies

He learned how to play with matchbox cars 

He learned how to be a champion sleeper

He learned how much he loves his blankie

He learned that big sisters are lots of fun

Little Cole, the Lord has taught this Mommy so much through you!  It was hard transitioning from a family of 3 to a family of 4.  Mommy's heart had been so full loving Calla, and when I first found out I was pregnant with you, I didn't know if I had any more room in my heart to love like I loved her.  Silly Mommy!  I guess I still had to learn what every Mommy-of-more-than-one has to learn, that something almost magical happens, and it's like your heart doubles, and there it is, the same amount of head-over-heels love and devotion as you had for your first.  I suppose this happens each time you have more babies?    I was also a little worried that I wouldn't know what to do with a little boy.  No bows?  Boy clothes?!?  But you have brought so much energy, life, fun, and happiness to our family! 

I love dressing you in clothes that remind me of your handsome Daddy, and we love just tossing you around, making you laugh, being silly with you.  You are so much fun!!  Being a parent really is an incredible thing.  It can be scary that we are the ones the Lord has entrusted to raise you, and there is tremendous responsibility that goes along with our commitment to you.  One of these responsibilities is in the managing of your health.  With your injury, we had some pretty rough times not knowing what to do, where to go, who to listen to for guidance.  But the Lord taught us to depend on His goodness and His sovereignty, doing our research and making the best possible choices given the information we had.  Looking back over this year, we see clearly the Lord's help every step of the way.  You will learn in your life that Christians call God the "Great Physician."  He knows every single thing about your nerves and your muscles and your injury.  And the Bible promises us that He is good.  We can trust Him!  We learned to really trust Him this year, as it is so much harder to let go of your child into His safe guidance than to let go of anything else!  Our hope for you is that if you ever get sad about your arm or anything else, you will run to God and learn to trust Him.  He is also called a Great Physician for a more important reason.  Our hearts are sick, lost, unclean, and He has made a way for them to be healed, brought back, cleaned.  Through Jesus and His life, death, and resurrection, we can know God!!  We pray that you have a wonderful, happy, long life, and that your arm will never slow you down too much.  But above all else, we pray that your heart would be healed, brought back to God, cleaned, that you would know and trust the God who has taught us so much through you!  Your Daddy and I love you so much, little guy, and we look forward to seeing what He will bring your way in the years to come!

Pictures of the party to come...

Good Morning, Mommy.  Just looking out the window.  It's a beautiful day!