Jude's 12 month letter

Dear Jude,

You are ONE! My word. How time has flown. (Have I said that in nearly every monthly letter? I think I have. Nevertheless, it is still true.)

One year ago you were a few days old. I had spent the morning of July 31st outside labouring in our backyard. "Labour" isn't quite the right word. And I don't say that to boost myself up, you were just really easy on me, kiddo. I swayed when I felt a contraction come on and then back to walking around the garden, playing with Noah and sitting and chatting with the midwives.

Holy Hugeness, Batman! (Well, with you being 9lbs12oz of course I was huge!)

I had lunch and then we went upstairs so that you could be born (or as the midwives said, "To have a baby!"). They broke my water and after 4 minutes of pushing you were born. Puffy and swollen, but alive and healthy. You were mine.

This month has been amazing, hilarious, wonderful, sad, fun, challenging and simply splendrillescent knowing you and loving you.

Some of the big moments:

You saying some of your first words (all words so far are: car, "moo" Dada, Mama, go, kick, Kaka (our friend Kevin), and I think you say "ka" for ball as well). You also have learned to imitate words/sounds amazingly well in the last couple weeks.

You pull yourself up to standing. But you will.not.walk. And being a Mom of two, I am PERFECTLY FINE WITH THAT. (No rush. Take your time. Seriously.)

You are deciding what you will and will NOT eat. Please don't be picky!

I think you may slightly lactose intolerant. Lately cheese, yogurt and milk have all resulted in ... er, diarrhea. Sad. But true.

You rejected your only breastfeed tonight. I had cut out the morning feed while we were in BC and all we were left with was the before-bed feed. You didn't want it tonight. Are we done breastfeeding? Possibly. Will I try again tomorrow night? Mmm...maybe. It's always an inner battle for me when I stop breastfeeding my babies. On the one hand I'm happy to have that sense of "freedom" but on the other hand...it's just a closeness, a bond, something only we share that will end. So we'll see.

You absolutely LOVE playing with Noah's cars. And you know just what to do with them. You crawl right over, pick them up and start driving them on the ground saying "Bzzzzzz". I die every time you do it. So.Cute.

But all of those things don't add up to WHO YOU ARE. You are a ham. My second born. My son. I love you. I can't even put into words who you are because you are just amazing. You laugh and smile easily. You LOVE sucking your fingers. You kick your legs like I've never seen a kid kick! You are easy going, but love to be held (these days, anyway). You are squishable, loveable, wonderful you.

I have never been one of those Mothers who cry when their baby turns one or makes a major milestone or weep when they put away the 0-3 month clothes. Because I know that as you get older, I get to know you more. And as I get to know you more, I get to love you more. How awesome is that?

I can only pray that I train you up in the way you should go and that you love Jesus passionately and use your likeable, passionate spirit to lead others to love Him too.

I love you to the moon and back,

Mama