You are halfway to celebrating your first birthday. I imagine that you will enjoy looking back at these pictures as much as your siblings do. Siblings that love you so much. They can’t get enough of you, from the second you wake up. Reid waits patiently beside you each morning to whisper “Good morning, bud!” and when he can, sneaks in kisses on your forehead after you have fallen asleep. Hayden constantly struggles to plant kisses all over you, but you are pretty wiggly these days and get out of her reach most times. Reid makes you giggle and screech and just a look at Hayden results in the biggest grin across your face. You sat up on your own the other night, between your dad and I, and played monkey in the middle with a beach ball. Arms stretched up high and loud cries of happiness, you all of sudden were so big. I placed your soft basket of toys next to you and you reached in, pulling out each one to chew on and then toss aside. In an instant, you changed so much.

You love sweet potatoes, squash and apples with cinnamon. I can tell when you don’t like something, when you stick your hands in your mouth, almost like you are trying to get some of it out. You will messily eat it anyway, as if not to hurt my feelings. I try my hardest to keep you in your crib at night, yet I wake up each morning with you snuggled up beneath my chin. There are times you get extra fussy and it takes work to get you to go to bed. Yet, it’s those nights I kiss your soft head the most. Squeezing you so much you start to stir and wake up. I force myself to lay you down so you can rest, saving those snuggles for some other time.

The kids wrestle and play and you scream along with them, just wanting to be in on the fun. Sharky nuzzles his nose on your lap and now you let him lick you, and you grab his fur. I’m certain he’ll be just as smitten with you as he is Reid. It is the age now where all you want is to be where we are, and you’ll start to whine if you see me when you’re being held by someone else. While it can be inconvenient at times, I know to enjoy it while it lasts. Soon you’ll be on the move and be ready to explore, not wanting to cuddle like you used to.

We adore you, Waylon Thomas, and can’t wait for our days ahead with you.