Happy Birthday Caleb

It's hard to believe that my littlest boy is turning three in a few hours. Three years ago right about this time I was going to bed. When I am expecting I have a lot of contractions from about the mid-point on, and I know I was that night as well, but nothing unusual. About 2:15 a.m. I woke up with labor happening fast... he was born at 4:15! By that point I was surely ready though - it was the most pregnant I'd ever been. Ian came 3 weeks early, and we'd been in the hospital with Caleb a few times before the "real deal" (which was one week early from the projected due date). I was one of those women that walked around 4 centimeters dilated for 2 weeks. Ugh. Those extra two weeks at the end were tough. They were extra to me anyway. I really feel for those women who go past their due date!

Look at this pouty face. He still makes the same one.


I am so thankful for cameras. This is one of the most amazing and special moments of any mom's life: finally getting to look into the eyes of the one you've been wondering about for months. We did not know if he would be a boy or girl until the delivery, and it was so fun to finally get to see this little face. I was in love with him when he was inside me, and here is the moment that I was falling in love even more:

8 pounds 9 ounces of joy came into our lives that night/morning and he has been a joy every day since. Now don't get me wrong. He's turning three. He is a normal boy. There have been messes. There has been drama. There has been willful defiance. But mostly, lots of laughter, dancing, hilarious comments, the softest skin you can imagine, and tons of warm snuggles. Caleb is a delight to me! Happy Birthday sweet little boy! And don't rush this growing up thing as much as you did coming into the world!

"... since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father..."
Colossians 1:9-12