Dylan: One Year Old

Dear Dylan,

I love every single thing about you. This year with you has been the best year of my life. I am smitten, head-over-heels in love, and just the very sight of you is enough to take my breath away. Consequently, I have a gazillion photos of you. Trying to pick out just a few for this post was a losing proposition. So instead, collages!

You’ve been walking for about four months now, and you love to get into everything, and real non-toy objects have always been what interests you. You love going where Joshua and I go and doing what we do, and you love trying to figure things out. All things mechanical capture your attention. Here you are trying to drive two different trucks, riding with Joshua on the lawnmower, figuring out the lawnmower wheel, the bike wheel, and working on the bike with me.

I love how much of our lives are outside. I couldn’t be happier that Joshua and I moved to The Wallow before you were born. This is simply a wonderful place for you to grow up. You’re never in a bad mood outside. So much to touch, to see, to explore!

We started giving you solid food just before you turned six months old. You try everything we eat, and you like almost everything. Here you are making a mess with mashed potatoes, buried in a bowl of guacamole, sitting on the floor with an apple, and taking a bite out of Joshua’s nose!

As many different foods as you’ve tried and loved, food is still a pretty small part of your diet, and you’re almost entirely breastfed still. I love breastfeeding, you love breastfeeding, and neither of us shows much sign of giving it up any time soon.

And here you are sweetly sleeping. You can sleep anywhere you’re safe and comfortable, which mostly means on me or on Joshua.

Having a phone that can take pictures means that I can capture so much of our lives. I love to look back over our photos because you can really see how much fun we’re having here in this life we’re building together.

As this posts today on your birthday, we’re away at Euphoria for your third burn. At Euphoria last year you were only 10 days old, and now a whole year has gone by. A wonderful, glorious, perfect year. I’m sure we’re having a great time at Euphoria because everywhere I am you are happy to be, and everywhere you are I am happy to be.

Good grief, there are just no words that express how much I love you. I hope that you know.

Thank you for you.