This Thursday I have a ton to be thankful for. I am thankful for this whole past year. Ben turns one in a few days. This has been the most amazing year. Oh sure, there were crazy times. Tiring times aplenty. Tears, spit up, poop. All of that stuff. But there were more wonderful times than I ever could have imagined. Like the time Ben grabbed my hand for the first time. Or the first time he smiled at us. Or the wonderful time he let out his very first laugh. It isn’t just the firsts. Every laugh is wonderful. He has the best big belly laughs, and he isn’t even embarrassed if he laughs hard enough to snort. Every hug and kiss are the best. Every time he lays his head down on my shoulder is a moment I want to stay in forever.
I wish I could hold on to these moments with Ben at every stage. Every point in his life has been my favorite. When he was super tiny, it was so wonderful to just hold him and snuggle. As he got bigger it was fun to watch him learn there was a whole world around him. Now it is so much fun to watch him dive into the world and crawl and play. I sometimes wish I could go back to those early days and have my newborn again, but then I would be missing out on the amazing person that is emerging. I am so thankful for my memories of Ben’s first year. When I hold one year old Ben, I am holding newborn Ben, 3 month old Ben, 7 month old Ben, 11 month old Ben, every Ben at every stage he has gone through. Pat and I are so blessed to have Ben in our lives, and we are so blessed by all the love and support of our family and friends.
It is so much to be thankful for in such a little time, a whole year on one day. I am thankful for this every day. Every day. But today I am choosing to call extra attention to it. I am thankful for this year with Ben. And I am thankful for all that is to come.
–Kim