My Eleven Month Old!

It's so hard to believe, but Will is so close to being a full year old now! His birthday is coming up, and no matter how much I try to push off planning it, it's still racing by and will be here in only 4 weeks.

I can't believe I've had him for a year. It was the fastest year of my life but I've experienced so much and learned a lot. I remember when I was pregnant, I was nervous to have a boy. I had been spoiled with having a girl - I could do her hair, dress her in frilly, ruffly, pretty things, buy her bows and shoes and everything beautiful. What did boys have? I didn't like sports, boy clothes are not so exciting, and there were no frills for boys - no hair dos or bows or anything. I was worried that after having a girly girl, a boy would be boring.

Obviously, I had no idea what I was talking about. Having a boy has been so enriching. While I still don't get to dress him up in frilly things with bows on top, I get to have a little boy who loves his mommy, who treats me like the only person in his whole world. I have a little boy who looks up at me in adoration in a way Katie did not. Katie loved, and still loves, everyone. She's so social, she was a daddy's girl from the start. Will? He acts like he doesn't even realize there's other people in this world, and if there are, they're second rate to his mommy. There's such a special bond between he and I, made from a little boy's love and all the hours of cuddling we've done throughout the last 11+ months. He is anything but boring! When I was pregnant, I looked at his gender like it was limiting, when I should have been anticipating his huge personality and how exciting and fun he is!

I'm so very grateful I got to experience both gender sides, because they're both so different and so wonderful. If you would have asked me before Will which gender I would lean towards wanting, my answer would probably have been girl every time. Now? I honestly can't say. When I think about the next baby, I can't decide what I want! I'd love to have another little boy to pal around with Will, to have eyes only for his mommy, to be so full of boyish charm. I'd love a little girl to dress up and do her hair and teach about princesses. But I could not decide between them! I'm so glad the decision is not up to me, because having experienced both genders, I don't think I could choose.

I'm sad to see 2014 go, because it was so full, with lots of learning and fun and getting to know my new little boy who is not so new anymore. The more he grows, the more he seems so perfect and wonderful and such a perfect part of our family.

My little handful and pure joy. <3