Happy 12th Birthday Ryan!

Today we celebrate Ryan's 12th birthday. Wow, where has the time gone?! I spent a little time last night going through some old pictures and scanning them in and of course taking the time to stare at each one and remember how it was when he was little, what it was like to hold him and him not be crushing my legs. What he smelled like, that sweet baby smell. But most of all, how he would just mold himself to me. His favorite place to be was right beside me or right on top of me. He was a snuggle bunny to the max. He LOVED his little snuggli thing to and would sleep so soundly while I was carrying him around in it - even if it was while I was cleaning house. Sweet, sweet, sweet.

Bless his little heart though, I had read a bazillion child rearing books but had been around very few children so basically we just had to learn together. It's really a good thing he survived me! I'm sure I made plenty of mistakes but one thing I know for sure, I loved him with all my heart and hopefully that made up for my cluelessness.

I can remember when it came time for me to go back to work after my maternity leave and a few days before hand I started trying to get into a work schedule so that he would be used to it. I'd go to take a shower in the mornings and he would cry and cry and then I would join in. I couldn't stand for him to cry! It seemed like it was forever before I could finally get the timing down for me to be able to take a shower without all the trauma.


Now here he is 12 years later. He had a regular checkup the other day and we found out that he's now 5' 3 1/2", just a few more inches and he'll be my height. Weight wise he finally broke the 100 mark. My baby is growing up. Aside from the physical changes though, he's still the sweet little thoughtful guy that he's been since he was little. He still loves time with his mama and still loves to talk. I swear that child came out of the womb talking & hasn't slowed down yet!

Last year we celebrated his birthday in China, it was the night before we left to come home. Even that year has flown by!


Happy Birthday Ryan, I sure love ya'!





I didn't know anything about bathing babies! And bathing a real one was so much different that the dolls we practiced on in class!
He was about 6 weeks old in this one, I was getting ready for church and looked over and he was sound asleep.
Three months old - my handsome little honey bunny.
Six months old - that's when his little personality really started coming out!
I think he was 2 in this one. It's weird, I didn't think I needed to mark pictures because I would always KNOW when they were taken. Now here it is 12 years later and I think I know, but not sure I know.