Abel Christopher | 12 months

TWELVE

My darling son,

What a year this has been. I have watched you go from a squishy little newborn with your wrinkly old man elbows to a curious, always moving happy boy.

The first few weeks with you were such a blur of overwhelming emotions. I felt so raw and vulnerable loving a little person so much. I prayed for a happy healthy boy and when they placed all 7 pounds and 4 ounces of you in my arms I was truly astonished that you were finally here. Watching you grow over the past year I realized I have grown so much as well.

You are such a happy little fella. I love watching how you can spread happiness so quickly with your sweet little smile. You are not walking yet but are maneuvering around by pulling yourself up and walking along furniture. Grandma and Grandpa bought you a walker that you absolutely adore and instantly started ramming into every wall in the house. You are so curious about everything! You love being outside, you always have. Whether it's just crawling through the dirt, swimming in your little frog pool or swinging, being outside is always your favorite. You have two little teeth and working on more. I love seeing those cute little teeth poking out from the bottom when you give me a big grin. You are just now sleeping through the night which is something that I am super excited about! We nurse 2-3 times a day still, something I am super proud of considering that we started off to such a rough start with nursing.You are such a chatterbox! You have so much to say and want everyone to hear you. Your favorite words are; mama, dada & puppy.

As I watch you learn and grow I can't help but wonder what you will be when you are older. No matter what you become I pray that I am able to teach you to be kind, honest, and to always stay curious. No matter what life throws your way I will always be by your side my dear.

Love, Mama