Wednesday, January 25, 2006

A.J. after a Year

This month marked A.J.'s one year birthday. I thought I would share some of the joys of having him.

AJ at 3 minutes old
- I love holding him in my arms on the chair in his room while he drinks his milk after he wakes up.
- I love when he come to me, rests his head on my shoulder or my lap, then inserts his thumb into his mouth.
- I love hugs from him.
- He's so sweet when he eats and is so hungry. He sits there quietly as he shovels the food into his mouth and stares ahead as he concentrates on chewing it.
- I love training him, watching him grow and make progress, seeing his little victories, keeping track of them, and rejoicing with him as he grows in independence. Like when he first fed himself with a spoon. He would look up at us, his eyes wide, his lips turned up, and mouth open, waiting for us to say: "Yay, A.J.! You did it! That's right! You did it!"
- He's so fun and energetic. He smiles all the time and laughs these great belly laughs.
- Seeing the fruit of training when he eventually obeys, just when it seems like it's never going to happen and I feel just about ready to give up.
- Seeing how he can understand when we talk to him.
- Reading to him and showing him the world, especially when he finds the book appealing, like The Hungry Caterpiller. After reading to him daily for a year and him being mostly indifferent, he's finally beginning to seem really intersted in books (other than just The Hungry Caterpiller). Just this week, he even started picking them up himself and looking through them as he sits on the floor. It's so cute. Or you should see him stick his neck out and try to look at the Bible I'm reading him while I'm sitting across from him and he's in his high chair.

We are so thankful to the Lord for giving us precious A.J. We are overwhelmed by His undeserved goodness to us.

AJ's first birthday