My baby is one. The obligatory, “how did time go so quickly?” is required, but man it feels true. (I also wasn’t going for the on-purpose-crooked-“artsy”-photo in the cake pics above, but it was so bright, I couldn’t see very well as I was trying to avoid sitting on the sand. ha! So Rachel, don’t yell at me. ;)
Jones, in your one year, a lot has changed. One change that is probably the biggest and best (besides you just being in our family, of course), is the simple fact that we spend more time together. Less long days followed by late nights working. Saturdays are spent together instead of trying to finish up more projects.
We headed down to the quiet beach just a half mile from our apartment for a morning celebration. Harlow proudly carried the presents and then disappeared playing in the sand for the rest of the time. For the kid that used to hate how messy sand can be, she is turning into quite the beach bum. She would go to the beach daily, if she could, and I’m excited that summers can be full of beach and sand if we want them to.
Jones, you are following suit, and I’m not surprised. You love being outside. You love rocks and sand and water and adventure. Sometimes I look at you while your nursing or just snuggling, and I feel just as shocked that you’re here as the moment we found out little Jones Lauritzen was growing inside of me.
Jones, you bring so much joy to our family. Your smile is radiant — you love showing off those teeth! You want to walk everywhere and follow your sister wherever she goes.
I still sometimes feel immense guilt somehow that the two of your aren’t closer in age, but then I see the two of you together. If I’d gotten pregnant earlier, we would have missed out on you — God knew and our family is perfectly spaced and perfectly us.
Jones, you show your emotion in big ways. We never really need to wonder, because you have your smile and your lip pout perfected. You’re pretty easy going, until something you want is taken away. Then you show off your set of lungs, vocal cords and pout.
You are babbling up a storm these days. “Mama,” “amen,” “Dada,” “nanas,” and lots of copying all of the noises Harlow makes trying to get you to talk. She loves telling me, “mommy! Jonesy just said “Harlow, I think!” And on your birthday, she asked if you’d be able to start talking now that you were one. She is so eager to build forts and go on adventures with you! (She also has her 10 more siblings planned out, but I’m not sure she’ll be able to cash in on that anytime soon.)
You love playing peek-a-boo, although you usually cover your ears instead of your eyes, but I think it’s because you don’t want to miss out on our faces as we play. You giggle the entire time. You love “how big is Jonesy,” tickle time before bed, and Harlow’s favorite “drop your paci” every time you wake up. You usually drop your pacifier from giggling at her before reaching up to pull it out.
Jones, you fill our life with joy. You fill my days with anxiety….from how fearless you are. You like to run everywhere and climb everything. Flying with you has been …. interesting: you like being on the move.
But Jones, when you snuggle, you snuggle. You are such a good snuggler.
You light up when you daddy comes home. If I say, “go find daddy!” you run right to him. I love seeing your adoration for him and his adoration for you. He takes being a daddy to your sister and you so seriously.
I wrote this Sunday night, as I was nursing Jones before bed.
Jones, I’m putting you to bed as a one year old for the first time. One year ago, I couldn’t believe a day had already passed, but in this moment, the year has gone just as fast. This past year has been full, it has been hard, it has been good, and it has been incredible, because you are in it. People are drawn to you in a way I can’t describe. It could be your perfectly bald head, or your toothy full faced grin. I think it’s more than that, though. Your joy is so contagious, and it is one thing I pray that you never lose. Jones Lauritzen, we love you so. You may only be a tiny thing, but you’ve already changed our world in a huge way.
We love you, sweet Jones!
xo
mommy
Love what you wrote, Kacia, love the pictures of Jonesy and all of you, and, of course, I love all of you. It looks like it was a wonderful birthday!