Letter to Caden

To my lovely son on his first birthday.

It is so hard for me to imagine that a year has gone by since you were born. Watching you grow and change over the past year has been the greatest experience of my life. I have watched you change from this little tiny baby with no real personality into a little person. You have such a sense of humor now. It is so funny to watch you laugh at things you find funny. You love our cat Lily and you think she is so much fun to chase around the living room. Sometimes we catch you staring off into space and then you just start giggling for no reason. Your laugh is completely contagious. Everyone laughs with you. You also have my tendency to get the giggles when you are very sleepy. You do not like to sleep. You are always so worried you will miss something, but you have been like that since the day you were born. You are so curious and interested in all that is going on around you. You just seem to absorb everything that you see, touch, and hear.You have so much courage and vivacity but you are also cautious. I watch you climb over anything that is in your way with no fear of falling but you have been so hesitant about taking your first steps. You are a music lover. You love to play your Dad's guitar and you have two guitars of your own already. You stop any time you hear music and turn to find where it is coming from. You dance to the music and like to sing along with it as well. You will eat anything and do not like it when other people eat and you don't get anything even if you have already eaten. Most of the time you have this incredible independent streak. You don't want anyone to do things for you and you like to try to solve things for yourself. You get very frustrated with me or Daddy if we try to help you with something you are working on. The only time you are less independent is when you are feeling badly and I have to tell you that a part of me enjoys it. You want to cuddle and be held when you feel badly and I love that you are happy just sitting in my lap or falling asleep on me. I just cannot believe that the baby I brought home from the hospital is now one. I love you more than you will ever know until you have your own babies. I cannot wait to see how you change and grow over the next year. You constantly amaze me and I love you. Happy Birthday.

Love,
Mommy