First, a frugal moment: That birthday crown my adorable child is wearing in the picture above cost me $.74 at Target last year. I bought it and saved it for this occasion. His bib was $.99 at Gymboree, and his birthday onesie (which he wasn't wearing in this shot; he was in his swimming attire), was a Carter's find at less than $3.
Now for the true purpose of this post: We celebrated Kyden's first birthday this past weekend. My little "baby sir" is already a year old! It doesn't feel very long ago when we were announcing that we were pregnant with Baby Anderson #3, who is now Anderson Kid #3. I remember being worried not because we didn't know if he would have CF but about what other people would say about it. I could feel the weight of others' judgments on my shoulders. But if we had chosen not to take a chance, if we had been too afraid to take on another with CF, or any other disease or disability, for that matter, we would not have received the gift of Kyden Isaiah, who is healthy and has given me the gift of hope. It's hard to explain in words, but it is the only way I can put it.
I made a promise to myself when he was born that I would take it more slowly this time, that I would take in every moment and revel in this new life we had been given so that as he grew, it wouldn't seem like it was going by so quickly. But now a year has gone by, and I feel like I only blinked, and I realize there is nothing you can really do to slow it down. The thief of time has once again snuck in behind me when I wasn't looking.
But even though he isn't that tiny baby I brought home from the hospital a year ago, what he has learned and achieved and discovered has been amazing to watch, even though I have been through this stage twice before. I don't think that could ever get old, no matter how many children you have. I miss how he would curl into a ball and sleep on my chest, and his gummy, toothless smiles, and the first laughs he ever echoed, but I love to watch him be silly, and interact with others, and show off his awesome little personality.
At his party, even though he wasn't feeling a hundred percent, he was still a sweet, smiley boy. My favorite part of the day was seeing him dig into his cake: a little hesitantly at first, then once he had a taste, he dove right in. When we opened gifts, he loved looking at his cards and "reading" them.
I'd say that I hope this next year doesn't go by so fast, but I know better than that. The thief of time may steal my minutes...my hours...my days...but it can not steal my memories, nor can it steal my joy. Happy Birthday to one of my greatest joys.
