Nathan

What a lucky Mama I am!  This boy has blessed our lives since the day he was born.

His heart is filled with kindness, he gives so much affection to everyone in the family.  From the moment each of the other kids was born he has given them love, never showing resentment.  How did we luck out??  When he goes to bed he loves to cuddle (that was not the case when he was a baby, he wanted to be by himself in his own bed).  Recently he crawled into bed with me for a nap, I was already half asleep facing away from his side of the bed.  My heart melted as I heard the sweet words "Mama, do you want to hold hands?".  Yes.  Of course I do.  I'm so glad I took advantage of the moment instead of staying comfortably relaxed in my normal sleeping position.  I'm sure someday I'll be missing those words, missing that little hand wrapped sweetly around mine.

He has set the tone for our family.  Each of the kids looks up to him, and he (mostly) guides them with patients.  He loves to learn, he loves to explore, and he is such an excellent independent player.  He fills our hearts with love and I think he knows it... and he values the love he has to give, just as much as we value receiving it.  I hope we are aware of his needs, and able to fill his heart as much as he fills ours.

This last picture is one of my favorites.  It shows his sweetness, cuteness and loving side all rolled together.  I am so blessed to be his Mama, and so excited to watch him grow up to become an amazing man someday.  Of course I will miss all the moments that I currently cherish, but I am SO excited and hopeful to be a part of his adult life someday.  I have so many hopes for him, but only one need... that he learns what life means to him, and he fills his life with the things/people/activities that bring him meaning.  That is a small goal, right?