HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY, BEN!!!

The day finally came...almost a month ago...I'm a little behind! (as usual)

On August 28th, Benny-boy turned one! Woohoo! Unfortunately, I was sick that day and having a hard time mustering up any big celebration of sorts. We even had to cancel his birthday party because I just couldn't seem to kick that darn cold I had. :( So SAD! However, we did spend the day being very excited about it all, knowing that it had been a whole YEAR since Ben came to be a part of our family here on earth. Surely, it has the happiest year we've had so far as a family...Bethany and James getting older and being so expressive and (generally) happy, Ben coming to us and being healthy and strong and Mom and Dad just taking it all in, trying to enjoy it before it's suddenly gone and they're all in college! (We're told that sneaks right up on you!)

But, for now, let's focus on our little Ben's happy first birthday. :)

I was so sad because I hadn't gotten any pictures, just video...and then JC gets all fancy-shmancy on me and figures out how to use some computer program to take snapshots within video footage...aren't I lucky to have him around? So, here's some of what we enjoyed on Ben's special day...(aka, a lot of cake-eating)

After dinner (which was chinese take-out that JC picked up on his way home since I was no use as a chef), Ben gets his very own first birthday cake!

Hesitancy at the texture of the frosting...

But, as most of us do, ended up just giving in and DIGGING in!

When he had his fill, he began focusing on the next task at hand...getting as much onto the floor as possible!

THEN, the sugar rush must have quickly set in because he broke into some sort of celebratory dance...(I think he may have been celebrating emptying his plate/tray. Though, I feel that I should note that most of it IS on the floor...)

JC celebrates the day by making Ben laugh especially hard (the video of this is adorable).

Bethany and James follow suit and begin to be very silly, attempting to make him laugh as hard as Daddy does!

After everyone was all cleaned up, it was time for presents. Doesn't James look like he's going to try to sell Ben his present?

Bethany "helps" Ben unwrap his present...

A toy phone! Lots and lots of buttons to push...

Big brother and sister help him learn how to use it...(then proceed to fight over it for the next few days, not giving him much time with it at ALL. Eventually, there had to be a rule made about this particular toy!)

A smile between brothers...

...and a one-armed man-hug! Oh, I love this picture!

The day ended with two of Baby Ben's favorite things...Mommy and a bottle. (look how excited he is!!!) He has since given up one of these things...

Even though things didn't go quite as planned (sorry, Ben!), it was a great day and definitely one worth celebrating. It has been strangely emotional to watch Ben grow from a newborn to a toddler...he has remained the baby of our family longer than Bethany or James did...there was always another one of the way for a while there! But, Baby Ben is still Baby Ben! We love watching him grow and enjoying all he brings to our family.

He is such a happy kid...such a joy to everybody. He's just tough enough to handle being the littlest guy around (for now) and sensitive enough to know which family member needs an extra cuddle and smile on any given day. It is so fun to see his personality come out and it has been very sweet to notice the pieces of JC and I that are in him.

Today, as I rocked him to sleep, I realized how heavy he felt in my arms and thought about how much of a little man he is becoming. I thought about the past year and all we have experienced. I thought about what a blessing it has been to have this little guy around with his easy-going ways and ready smile. I thought how nice it is, as I often think when I'm rocking one of my kids, to be wanted by them. I know they will always love their parents (and probably sometimes hate us too!), but life will be life. Someday, I will probably have to seek out their company as their own lives take shape and sweep them away. But, for now, there isn't a single night that I couldn't convince them, quite easily, to let me just hold them while they fall asleep.

So, today, as I rocked him, I snuggled the back of his neck looking for all that extra wrinkly skin that babies always have at the nape of their neck. Instead, I found a little boy neck with locks of hair starting to creep down and curl out. I felt a little sad, but I figure most moms do. :) When I stood up, though, and caught a glimpse of us in the mirror that is his closet door, I noticed how tiny he still looked...all curled up and snuggled into me. And when I layed him down in his crib, he still made that funny pursed-lips face babies make when they are falling asleep. I guess I have a little bit longer to enjoy Baby Ben. And I have a feeling that, even after all the baby skin goes away and the haircuts start and the crib gets left behind, etc. . . .I won't be too sad. Because Ben may not always be a baby, but he WILL always be mine.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BENNY BOY!