Happy First Birthday Kaden!

Dear Kaden,

I'm really not sure how I am supposed to get through this letter to you without having some serious waterworks! I sat down to write to you and was overwhelmed by the thoughts of all that we have been through together in this past year. I get so misty just thinking about all the joy you have brought to us and everyone around you in the short time you have been on this earth. It's only been one year, and yet I can't imagine a life before Kaden! What did we do with our time? You have brightened, deepened, and blessed us in ways we never could have imagined.

I think back to one year ago, and what we were going through as we waited to meet you at the hospital. We really had NO idea. I think about your precious little face when I first saw you, and the overwhelming, aching sadness that I felt as they took you to the NICU, knowing I would not be able to see you and hold you in my arms until the next day. That was one of the most painful moments I have ever endured.

The sadness and pain was quickly replaced with peace and an overwhelming mix of emotions the moment I was able to hold you. Little did I know, at that moment, how much you would change my life completely.

When I brought you home from the hospital, I had no idea what to expect...I just knew I had the sweetest little angel in my arms and that I was in love like I never could have imagined. What I didn't know was that was even half of what was to come...sleepless nights, breastfeeding issues, misreading your cues, daycare, diaper rashes, booger sucking tools and oh.so.much.more. I have been challenged more than I ever thought I could be... but I also have been rewarded beyond compare.

I feel so blessed to be able to watch you grow, and so proud to call myself your mommy. It's so hard to believe that you are now considered a TODDLER....what happened to my BABY? You have more personality at one year old than I thought was ever humanly possible....you are such a curious, affectionate, intelligent, persistent daredevil of a little man, and I just can't wait to see what's around the corner....

Happy Birthday my sweet baby boy...

I love you.
Love,
your mommy


I cannot believe you are a WHOLE year old!


For your first birthday, we invited just a small group of your favorite people over to celebrate your special day! With so many friends and family across the miles....we spent the day talking and looking at pictures of those that were missing from the celebration. Your party turned into a yummy cupcake celebration and you had so much fun!

poor kaden got a cupcake from vons and did not get to partake in the sprinkles cupcakes festivities! The frosting on the sprinkles cupcakes just wasn't smooshable!



so youre telling me I am supposed to eat this white stuff?


so many of our wonderful friends came to celebrate you!


shyla played the triangle for you for what seemed like HOURS...


we took you to the Aquarium of the Pacific for your birthday weekend, seeing as you are fascinated by our fishies at home. You were actually fascinated for about the first 5 minutes....


but after that, your expression looked similar to this...







We also went to the park...your favorite. You and daddy wore your matching Mr Rogers shirts, and I did a mini photo shoot. This is my new favorite expression of yours, the tight mouthed grin.






You got so many wonderful gifts for your first birthday! One of your absolute favorites was your FORT! We had decided months ago that one of the traditions we wanted for you, was to build you a birthday fort every year on your birthday. A place for you to chill and read and play, and for you to feel like you are king for a day! We thought that every year, as you get older, you could have more of a say in what the fort looks like and what you want to add to it. So this year, we kinda were boring, and used your AMAZING fort that Mamaw and Papaw gave you and just threw pillows and blankets in it. Here are you and your buddy Dreyvin hanging out in it.



You also are super smitten with your teddy that Poppy and Jennifer gave you!



Another favorite was the Band in a Box! You had a great time with all of the instruments at your party, and mommy grabbed the Flip camea a bit too late...but just before taking this video, you had a full band playing around you, and you were playing your baby maracas with the biggest smile on your face!




Mamaw bought you the coolest growth chart, and we decided to wait until we have you moved into your own room in Denver to put it up. So for your 1st bday, we measured you with a tape measure and we marked your growth chart.




Uncle Brian also got you the coolest *make a plate kit* which we have decided to make a tradition of doing for your bday every year! You drew the picture you wanted, and we just have to send it in and they send back the finished product attached to a plate!


warming up....



and here you are proud of your masterpiece.


You absolutely LOVE to DANCE!!!! I need to get a good video of it....post coming soon!

You love mommy's computer....and mommy has called tech support more than once to figure out what happened after you have been surfing the internet.



BALLOONS!!!!! Balloons make you happiest. You can always be cheered up by ballooons.


I love when you laugh like this....and you try to take a bite out of my face.


You want to walk soooo badly on your own....but for now, this little walker is your favorite.


you LOVE to point at just about everything and say "da".