My newborn

July 16,2009

Looking at pictures on his own.

Standing tall.

I remember every second of this day one year ago. From the moment at 4 in the morning when I realized the contractions in my dream were really happening to me. I remember rolling over to pull out my stopwatch to time them and thinking, "man, these are really kind of long...and kind of close together!" And sauntering into our bedroom (I'd been sleeping in Brooklyn's bed which was more comfortable to me for some reason) and waking Kyle with the words, I think this is the day.

I remember taking a shower and looking down at my very pregnant tan belly with water sluicing over it, thinking "in just a matter of hours, I'll know who this is..." I remember parking the car in the "maternity" spot in the hospital parking garage, just beside the walkway into the hospital. I remember slowly walking down the endless walkway, pausing as contraction after contraction worked their way down my uterus. As strange as it may seem, the pain was welcome because I knew it had a purpose and an end result: it was bringing me my baby.

I remember time passing so quickly as it seems to do when I enter the doors of a hospital. And next thing I know, I am holding a baby boy whom we named August Banner. This little boy quickly captured my heart and has not let it go. He immediately lived up to his name by growing by leaps and bounds and jumping off the growth chart. He came equipped with the same beautiful brown eyes as his sister and, of course, my nose. He's been a happy boy from the beginning- his ready smile revealing his six teeth with a seventh just now poking through. He is finally starting to get some blond hair on his head, looking more and more like his big sister every day.

He loves his momma, his dada and his big sister. He has his own unique way of crawling that will soon turn into walking. He said Bye-Bye yesterday for the first time and waved his hand to go along with it! He melts my heart over and over again. I thank the Lord for him and for his precious big sister constantly.

And today, he turns one. And thus wrapping up a 365 day cycle that has blessed me and everyone who's come in contact with our little August. Happy Birthday, my little man.