My precious boy,

Today is your first birthday. You are one year old and I just cannot believe how fast it went! The years just keep going by faster and faster and I am desperately trying to get them to slow down!

I feel like it was just last week that I was in labor. Such a long, long labor and nothing to show for it! You were so content to just hang out in there. And while your brother’s birth was frightening and scary, yours was so calm and peaceful. I remember walking into the operating room and getting up on the bed and just starting to cry because I was just so so excited to finally meet you!

I still remember seeing you in my doctor’s hands over the sheet and then the moment they put your warm little body on my chest. Your little face was so perfect. Your cheeks were so soft and sweet! And you were crying until I started talking to you and then you stopped crying right away and just looked straight into my eyes. It was the most amazing thing ever, sweet Parker Bear. Oh how I treasure that moment!!

I remember how anxious I was to get you home so that you could meet your big brother. I think I was asking when I could leave the moment that we got to the recovery room. 😉 Nathan was SO excited to meet you. Yet another moment that I will treasure forever!

Those first few days were filled with so many kisses and hugs and snuggles and more kisses that I was just sure you would get completely fed up and stifled but even now you love to be snuggled and loved on – especially by me, Dad and Nathan.

It has been so amazing seeing your little personality develop over this year and oh my goodness, you have a HUGE personality! You are such a little ham and you absolutely live to make us laugh. The look on your face when you know you’re doing something funny is just one of my favorite things ever. You have the cutest little cheesy grin too and it just makes everyone around you smile.

I wondered if you were going to be as chatty as your brother and if it’s possible, I think you might be even more talkative. You love to talk, love to yell, love to just make noise! You will sit in the back of the car and just yell “AHHHH!” at the top of your lungs over and over – not mad or upset, but just to be loud. And you babble all day long. You can say Mama, Dada, “Nennon” (Nathan), “Loldy” (Kody), “Baba” (Nathan ruined us all when it comes to what we call pacifiers) and “Hi.” Anytime you see someone you know, especially on Skype or FaceTime, you immediately start grinning and waving and saying, “Hi! Hi! HIII!” over and over. It’s so cute.

You are just the joy of your brother’s heart. You are his favorite person to hang out with and the first person he asks for in the morning. When you’re awake, he wants to be right with you and even when you are busily destroying everything Nathan has built or created, he still can’t stand to be away from you. And you love your brother. You two are inseparable and I pray constantly that this amazing bond you have will continue throughout your lives!!

You are hands down a mama’s boy and this mama has absolutely no problem with that! I love that you want me to hold you and carry you around and be close to you. Sweetheart, we longed so much for you that any moment that I get to spend cuddling you is just one more precious moment for me to hang on to!! I often remember the days before God blessed us with you and how my arms just ached to hold a baby and I’m so thankful that Jesus gave me you – my sweet, precious boy who loves to be held.

You are so prayed for, love. Daddy and I pray for you and your brother more than anyone else in this whole world. We pray so many things for you but mostly we pray that you grow to be a man who loves Jesus and loves others and isn’t afraid to stand up for what is right.

You are my baby. My boy. My son. Your silliness makes me laugh and your tears make me cry. You are loved more than you can ever comprehend, more than you will ever know, more than I can ever put into words. Sweet Parker Bear, you have added so much to our family! You have made Daddy and me parents to children and Nathan a big brother – you have completely changed us all and only for the better.

You are loved. You are treasured. You are cherished. So much.

Happy first birthday, my precious son! We love you so much!

Mama and Daddy