Yesterday we celebrated Ryan’s first birthday. It has been one whole year since this tiny little being came into our lives. I still remember the way it felt to hold him for the first time, and how delicate and fragile he was in my arms. I remember having an overwhelming urge to protect this helpless newborn. I just wanted to keep him as safe as he was in my tummy. This little baby was too innocent for this world; an pure angel, sent to us from heaven.
In a year’s time, Ryan has had the opportunity to experience life and to begin finding his own place in it. His personality has emerged as someone who is both fun-loving and sensitive at the same time. We greatly enjoy Ryan’s sense of humor. He laughs and giggles at different sounds, facial expressions, and anything out of the ordinary. He already shows signs of being strong-willed and motivated, since he is determined to do things only on “his terms”. I love that about him because it reminds me that he is his own little person with unique thoughts and feelings that are separate from my own.
As Ryan’s mommy, I may not be able to protect him from everything forever, but I can help him to grow into the type of person who will approach life with enthusiasm, compassion, and humility. I am already so proud of his every accomplishment. I know that one day we will look back and wonder how we ever raised such an amazing individual.
Ryan got to visit the zoo for the first time on his first birthday! He loved to point and stare at some animals, but he didn’t even seem to notice that other animals were there. I think that his favorite were the small monkeys. Although we got to see most of the animals, I was disappointed that we didn’t see any giraffes or lions. We plan to go back to the zoo another time (when it isn’t so hot) to hopefully see more animals.
When we got back home, grandma came over and we watched Ryan open his presents that were from mommy and daddy. (He will be opening the rest of his presents at his party this weekend). I showed Ryan how to rip off the wrapping paper, and he opened a couple of them himself. Then, he got so excited about playing with his new toys that he wasn’t even interested in opening the rest. I think that Ryan’s favorite gifts so far are his drum and a set of miniature golf clubs that daddy picked out. Our little guy is certainly just like his daddy and I love them both so much!
I am spending the rest of today and tomorrow getting ready for Ryan’s birthday party on Saturday. I have been planning the party for a while, and I am excited to see how it all turns out. I will probably post about the party once the weekend is over and everything has calmed down. For now, I will just give you a hint: the party theme will be Zoo Animals!
