4 wonderful years of you

Poor Dawson, December 26th has got to be the worst birthday! I wish I could've pushed him out 41 minutes earlier, but his giant 14.5" head was a bit of work. Or maybe if he'd been born on his due date, January 14th? I don't know, it just seems like such a bummer day. We do our best to make it special, but it seems like everyone is shopping or cleaning up from the Christmas rush and he gets kinda lost in the shuffle. We had a low key day since we already celebrated with his Grinch party (see previous post). He wanted tacos for his birthday dinner (big surprise, if you are what you eat, Dawson is a bean burrito), and then we stuffed ourselves with a yummy dessert. We got him a little shop vac to open up today, so he had fun cleaning up fuzz balls for hours.
I was just laying with him, tucking him in for the night, and I just can't believe it was {4} years ago that I met this sweet boy. 4 years ago today I was kissing his precious face, his fingers, his chubby shoulders for the very first time. I inspected every toe, every dark curl on his head. I tucked him into my gown at the hospital and just held him for hours against my skin. I knew I hit the jackpot with this one. I was so* incredibly* grateful* Grateful to have been pregnant with him, and he was so good to me. I had such a beautiful pregnancy and bringing him into this world will always be one of the greatest joys of my life. Grateful to have a healthy son. Grateful to be a Mommy again, and to fall in love again. Each one of our kids is special, not only because of who they are, but what they bring out in me as a Mom. Dawson is my calm, my peace. He allows me to train him and coach him, he doesn't challenge me, defy me, exploit my flaws. He is oh-so affectionate and that alone melts my heart. He is intropspective and serious, but when I get one-on-one time with him he talks the hind leg off a mule. He is gentle, but stubborn, and he has a surprisingly hot temper. He is protective of me, tender, sensitive and thoughtful. He isn't independent - he needs me and I need him. I've watched him grow from a chunky baby, into a long, lean boy. A boy, not a baby or a toddler, a boy. I love his long lashes and puppy dog eyes, I love that he still sucks his thumb and drags his silky around. I'm definitely not in any hurry for him to grow up. I just adore him, I really do. I can't imagine a single day without my sweet Dawson. HaPpY birthday my Love.
Here are some pictures of Dawson's 1st year, ending with his Western Round-up 1st birthday party!

The baby-making kit! Just add Laura, countless procedures, a lot of shots, meds, ultrasounds, blood draws ,surgery, complications and prayers, and before you know it....you're pregnant and... It's a {BOY}!!
8 months later you look like this!
Then Mama has a lot of work ahead of her
Then there was you, and life was never the same...

December 26th, first day home

1 day old

2 days old