happy birthday to you.

Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, to Phoenix. Happy birthday to you. I think I sang this to P about a gazillion times today. He just giggled. I cannot believe my little man is a year old today! Time really flies. About this time last year I was lying in bed at Henry Medical Center, really needing to sleep, but I couldn't. I couldn't get enough of my new baby boy. I just lied there and stared at him. Every breath. Every facial expression. Every gurgle. Can you believe how many crazy noises come out of a newborn? I was scared to death of each new noise. Is something wrong with him? The nurses would tell me it was normal. I have finally come to that realization. Everything is normal. Normal for someone's kid, at least. I remember not even wanting to put Phoenix down in his bassinet. I wanted to hold him close. Constantly. We co-slept for the first four months. It was the greatest thing we ever did. But four months was plenty. I was ready to let it go. Let him have his own bed. And Taylor and I get our bed back. Motherhood has taught me a lot in one short year. Selflessness, patience, a new sense of love, adoration, and kindness. It is wonderful. I think motherhood has been my greatest accomplishment. Even bigger than my doctorate. Bigger than anything. It is a challenge. But with the challenge comes the biggest sense of pride and love that you will ever feel. Taylor and I still look at each other and ask, "Is he really ours?". I can remember the first night home from the hospital. It was the first time we really got a chance to soak it all in. Taylor and I just stared at Phoenix in amazement. We both cried. Are we ready for this, we asked? We were born ready. Parenthood is wonderful. God has blessed us with the most perfect family and the perfect son. We are so lucky for what God has given us. Happy birthday, baby P. I love you more than life.