Firsts and Lasts in a Baby's Birthday

When your little baby turns one, there are so many emotions involved with his birthday.  Do I want him to grow up?  He seems to be growing so fast!  What will the second year bring?  Where did the year go?  I was thinking all of that and more this past January when our little Sully celebrated his first birthday.  The day came and I thought, Really I don't have the heart to do much.  What?!  I couldn't pinpoint it.  Just because he is baby #5 doesn't mean he shouldn't have a great party like the others did.  Was I just feeling overwhelmed because the big plans in my mind don't always pan out?  Finally a friend nailed it for me.  She sent a text saying how bittersweet all of my children's birthdays will be this year.  This first year without Papa coming to their birthday parties.  That was it.  Grief had reared its ugly head again and I just didn't recognize it.  I hugged Sully a little tighter the rest of the day.  I showed him the picture in my room of my Dad and me.  I told him to say, "Hi, Papa," even though I know he hasn't even said "Mama" yet.

Thankfully, Sully's birthday was on a Tuesday so we didn't celebrate on that day.  By the weekend, I had climbed out of that place I was in and ready to make some memories for this precious baby boy. Before we remember his birthday, let's look at his first year.

 Here we have the inside and out photos of Sully from a year ago!

One month old Sully at Philip's basketball game.

Two and three month old Sully!  Figuring out his eyes and checking out his feet.

 Four month old Sully at his first time to Waffle House celebrating Braewyn's birthday.

Five month old Sully and a memory I always want to remember.  Saying goodbye to Papa.

 Six and seven month old Sully.

 Eight and nine month old Sully.

First Thanksgiving at ten months old being snuggled by Cousin Marie.

Eleven months old and sitting on the steps of our state capitol building.  Fun family trip!

More fun on our trip at the EdVenture children's museum.  He's a big kid now!

So now, on to the birthday photos!

I had been holding him off all year from chocolate.  Chocolate chips for breakfast sounds good on your birthday, right?

Little guy would not take a bottle until the week before his birthday.  It seemed tough then, but now I'm thankful I could nurse him all those months.  How strange for something I did several times a day to seem so very long ago now.

This is the everybody cake.  That white blur in the middle is "1st" written in drippy icing.

And this was the Sully cake!  Can you believe I forgot to take the all important "after" picture??

I'd say Sully enjoyed his first birthday as well as anyone can who doesn't understand what birthdays are.

Thank you for this precious gift named Sully.  You knew so much more than we did just how much we would need his baby snuggles, baby firsts and baby joy this year.  I miss my Dad, but will enjoy telling Sully all about him throughout his life.