Thankful on a Thursday: the first year

Tomorrow is sweet Malakai's 1st Birthday and marks our first year as parents. It has been the fastest moving, but best ever year of my life thus far. I know it'll keep getting better as we watch Malakai grow and bless him with siblings along the way.

This week has been crazy with balancing the usual busy schedule that we keep and adding party planning. I've also given myself plenty of extra time to lay-low and reflect on this past year while enjoying the current stage that Kai is in.

I'm thankful for...

201. how relatively happy and easy-going Malakai has been. He's had his moments of fit throwing and crankiness but overall is such a joy. We're always getting comments on how easily he smiles.

202. the way Ben and I continually find our "groove" as parents. We've pretty seamlessly moved in and out of stages, schedules, routines and the like as Kai's needs rapidly evolved.

203. becoming a morning person. Although I'm still as reluctant as ever to get up in the morning, once I'm awake I like mornings with Malakai the best.

204. playtime and watching my son learn. He's so SMART! {I know every parent says that, and they're all right!}. He just soaks up new things so quickly and easily.

205. good health. We still may be facing complications with Malakai in the future {we'll find out more at his 12 month visit this Monday} and we've had a few other scares, but overall he's been a very healthy boy.

206. support. The support of our friends + family since before he was born as been overwhelming and so wonderful.

207. my ability to "nurse" for his first year. With the biting at 8 months, it made things a bit difficult but I was determined to persevere. We just started introducing cow's milk last week, I can hardly imagine what it will be like to not provide for him in that way anymore.

208. God's provision. All along, from paying hefty medical bills and buying our first home to putting food on our table and diapers in the nursery we have never been without the things we NEED.

209. sweet snuggles + sleep sharing. The latter doesn't happen very often anymore, but my FAVORITE thing to do is snuggle up with my sweet boy and just enjoy his existence so close to mine.

210. This family. I'm so blessed to be Ben's wife and Malakai's mama. I love my boys so much!

What are you thankful for this week?







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