Eleven Months

Beckett Lucas,

As I rocked you before putting you to bed and prayed over you, tears began to fill my eyes.  I remembered back to that time exactly 11 months ago when I just held you and stared at your precious newborn face.  I remember all the anxiety I had leading up to your birth and how I could love two children and how I would ever be able to do justice to both of you, but in the moments after you were born, all of that faded.  You were perfect, and I instantly fell in love with you.  I can honestly say that my love for you has grown every single day over the past 11 months, my precious son.  You bless me, and you make me a better version of myself.  I am so thankful to be your momma.  And, in just one month, you will be one year old.  So, just for a moment, I want to spend time remembering you just as you are now.

You learned a new wave, and it is the cutest thing ever.  You will hold your hand up and open and close those little fingers over and over, with your palm facing in.  I absolutely adore it, and I would love it if you waved at me all day long.  What makes it even more irresistible is that after you wave, you immediately start clapping.  It's as if you know we are going to praise you, so you will just take care of it for us.  Seriously precious.  You are totally into clapping, and you are quite good at it.

You had your first Schlitterbahn experience this month, and you had a good time.  You were a trooper and slept great, despite being in the same room as your sometimes noisy big sister.  You loved splashing in the water and crawling around in the super shallow kiddie parts.  Your daddy and I figured you would love it because you absolutely love your bath and will splash and splash all day in there.  Sometimes I even have to change clothes after bath time because of your vigorous splashing!

You have two little teeth.  The second one finally broke through after we got back from Schlitterbahn, and I love catching a tiny glimpse of them when you laugh really hard or smile really big.  Too cute for words.  So, we have been giving you more and more table food lately.  In fact, in the past couple of days, you have not had one jar of baby food.  I think you are really enjoying it, and I am too.  You are a little more picky with our food than you were with baby food.  You love chicken {especially Chick Fil A nuggets}, corn, and peas, but you are not a big fan of many fruits.  We will keep working on it.  It is fun to see you discover new food.

You are still just so happy.  You smile at almost anyone that will look in your direction, and I love that about it.  I love how you bring so much joy to people around you.  You love to laugh too, and all we have to do is ask your big sister to do something silly to solicit a precious giggle out of you.  You laugh at almost anything she does, so she will usually do it over and over and over again.  It is pretty special the bond that the two of you are already forming.  You don't babble a whole lot, but once you get started, you really enjoy hearing your voice.  You are still only really saying "mama" and "dada."  Although, I think you are trying to say "more" at the table while you are eating.  I love hearing your voice and seeing those dimples every time you smile.

You are a crawling speed demon, and I have to be really careful not to turn my back on you for long.  You find any little thing on the floor to put in your mouth, and I usually have to dig something out multiple times a day.  You are getting more and more brave with standing up all by yourself without holding onto anything, but you haven't acted the least bit interested in taking any steps.  I am really okay with that!!!  You are beginning to cruise on furniture more and more, so I am sure those steps won't be too far behind.

I could go on and on, my boy.  You bring us immeasurable joy.  If someone had told me just how much I would love you and just how perfect it would feel for you to be in our family, I would not have been able to fathom it.  It is truly amazing.  I thank God every night for giving you to your daddy and me.  We have already learned so much about the character of God from you, and I pray that I gain just a fraction of your contentment and joy.  We pray for you that you will be a great man of God, Spirit filled, and full of love for Jesus and people.  We are for you always, little man.  Happy eleven months, Beckett!

I love you, to the moon and back!
Your Momma