I LOVE cake!

Gus' birthday was a success! Thanks to all family and friends.

One Year!

One Year!

Happy First Birthday my dear boy Gus! Wow, we made it! What a year it has been. We have all been through so much from watching you develop and grow to enjoying your charming personality, it has been a pure joy.

You experienced more in your first year than I did in 20. You went on several plane rides to Texas and Florida. You have traveled and have been on a plane, boat, car, truck and train. You have swum in pools, lakes and dangled your feet in the ocean. You have dined at over 20 different restaurants not bad for someone who really does not eat! You have experienced life and been exposed to all that your Dad and I enjoy doing, and you did this with a smile.

Each day we get to know you and see your personality we grow fonder and fonder. You are a real charmer, you know when and who to charm. This gives your dad and I such a giggle. You could be raging pissed off and if some pretty young girl comes into the room you are all smiles. You save your fussies for dad and I only. It is pretty funny. You flirt with the girls at daycare, you make new friends in church, and wherever we go you seem to attract people with your winning smile.

I am not with you each day so I rely on the girls at daycare and your daycare evaluation for a lot of information. We recently had another evaluation and we saved a copy for you, they call you their social butterfly they even said that you are flirtatious and charming. I had no idea these were innate qualities but this is not something you learned this is something you were born with. It absolutely amazes me. Your dad and I are not like this, we do not have these qualities, but when we see you using them it makes us smile!

Speaking of smiling, no matter how disappointed I am, how upset I am, how mad I am or how hurt I am-One look at you and one big hug immediately puts a smile on my face. It is my absolute favorite part about being a mother, in the last 365 days I have smiled each and everyday! I owe that to you. You always know how to make me feel better and you always remind as to what is truly important. You hug and kiss me at the exact moment I need them. You can sense this and it astounds me. Mommy’s little Angel, you are sweet, kind and have brought so much joy into our hearts and lives.

So yes this letter is a love fest, but one thing currently that I do not love is your recent eating habits. Quite frankly Gus you are a pain in the ass to fed. You hate to eat, you spit your food out, you rub it all over your face, you throw food on the floor and there is not much you like to eat. Hence, you are a little peanut! I have tried every food known to man, I think sitting and eating interrupts what you like to do best and that is play and be active. Eating cramps your style and it pisses you off. You hate to be confined to your highchair. You whimper, wine and because it is so uncharacteristic of how you normally act your dad and I scratch our heads and cannot figure out what has you so angry. The only time you eat well is when we dine out. We think it is because there is so much going on in the restaurants that it keeps you entertained. You are very lucky that mom gets a discount at Lettuce restaurant or else you would never eat!

You have taken a few steps and you are standing on your own freely, you still are not so confident walking and speed crawling is your preferred method of travel but you are very close. I bet any day now you will start doing laps around our house.

I re-read my first post, the story of your birth. I cried and probably will shed tears each and every time I read it. My plan is to read that every birthday of yours. It was an intense day but worth every minute. My favorite part of that day was that even though my blood pressure was way low and I was having major contractions and really not doing well, you remained calm and cool in my belly. Your heart-rate was so steady it puzzled the doctors. There were two blue lines on the monitor and your heart rate NEVER went above or below those two lines. Now that I know you, it was your way of telling me everything was going to be OK. I had some anxiety but you, you remained calm. Again this might sound strange but you have this amazing sense of being there for me-It is my promise to you that I will always be there for you in return. Our bond was strong even from your first breath. Augustus William Bell-I am so proud to be your mother and I thank God everyday for blessing me with such an amazing old soul!

Happy Official Birthday! I love you!

Mommy